Indirect Fix
by Molly-Chan the AnimeGame Fan
Summary: Somehow, Luke is back in the past. Now Luke has the ability to change the future before it even happens, but will he be able to do it with twists and turns he could never have seen coming?
1. Prologue

**_Prologue_**

_"The full use of your powers along lines of excellence."  
-Definition of "happiness"  
By John F. Kennedy._

It felt and was something like a sudden rush. Luke fon Fabre found himself staring into a bright light that pulled away. Luke felt the light tingle of a grunt slightly as he heard a distinct clatter of voices. Luke blinked once and grew aware of the voices enough to listen to them carefully.

"There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with him." This voice sounded vaguely familiar, yet filled with kindness and a tired bassatone drifted into Luke's subconscious.

"Are you sure?" This voice he was positive he had heard before, with the soft and worried tone in her beautiful voice. Luke felt a little bristle in his mind, the person who was talking was his mother. Luke let his head move to see his mother hovering over his body and talking to a doctor. Luke blinked again, seeing his mother seemed a bit different. The few wrinkles his mother had seemed to had lessened greatly. "Luke!" His mother said, relief flooded her kind voice. Luke sat up to this and noted one thing readily, his body was smaller. It then hit Luke and trembled through Luke like the vibrations of an earthquake.

An aching emptiness that he had only felt twice in his entire life-span and that was when he realized he was truly at fault at Akzeriuth and when he had discovered in his mind he was just truly a replica. Luke tried quickly to search for Asch's tired soul within his own fonons, but failed as it seemed to be completely shut in. His fonon slots were closed? How was that possible?

"Mom." Luke finally replied after what may have been a long time of a moment of silence, remembering quickly that his mother was talking to him. Luke felt the back of his mind grow confused, but let his body handle the situation in the best way possible.

"Does your head hurt?" Luke's mother asked, brushing back the bangs that lay at the curved angle on Luke's face. Luke gave a small frown,

"I'm fine, mom." Had he passed out? But how? Why was his mother asking about his head?

"Did you hear voices again?" The doctor who had been standing at the side walked up and grabbed Luke's wrist, timing his pulse. Voices?

"No." Luke simply said, letting the doctor do his job. This man seemed familiar...OH! Luke then let it hit him because it was a memory; he was the doctor who had taken care of Luke during his 'memory' crisis! But...he died when Luke was 'five' (fifteen)! What...how was it possible? Luke stared at the doctor then back at his mother. Was it possible? Could he accidentally have managed to blast himself so far into the past? Had his hyperressonance control actually managed to reassemble his matter to the point it could travel even to the past or future? Luke shook his head for a second, that sounded like something Jade had been worried about.

There was no way it should have been possible! There was just no way! Luke couldn't have traveled to the past! But...it could be...Asch wasn't in here with him anymore...did that mean Asch was with his body? Luke looked at his mom with a small smile, "Mon, can I be left alone for awhile?" Luke asked politely, which seemed to shock his mother slightly, but she nodded and dragged the doctor out with her, with a bright smile encompassing her face.

Luke stayed still and looked where he was. In his room, small yet overly huge and on his bed. Luke coursed his hands through his red hair and felt it long but not extremely long. Luke looked and found a nearby mirror. Luke stared quietly, he was young, he knew with his mother looking confused with his speech. Luke's body was...at least looked like it was twelve. So Luke was actually two, at least that's what Luke though. Luke then started to search for his journal; it would hold a few answers of when he was. Luke paused in his search, breathing the air uneasily. Asch wasn't with him, and it felt horrible to not feel the other's presence with him. Luke then struggled for a moment on how complete he had been with Asch's soul mingering lightly around with his own body and soul with the silent warmth of a guiding Lorelei in the background.

Luke then continued to search for his journal, letting himself get used to the horrid emptiness. It shouldn't have been possible, what was Luke doing to get so many seventh fonons that needed to change his matter? Luke growled timidly, his brain not liking the fact that he was over thinking. He'd worry about it later, right now he needed to find his damn journal.

"Luke, how are you doing?" Luke let his body react slightly surprised and saw Guy in the window sill. Luke felt the distant memories of Asch fade into his subconscious and Luke stared at the body language of Guy's. Luke then calmed down; this was the Guy who accepted him, who embraced Luke as his idiot. Luke gave a smile to Guy, who just gave him a slightly tilted smile back at the redhead.

"I'm fine, just those headaches." Which Luke had a feeling they were going to disappear as Lorelei probably knew what was happening and would stop from forcing energy to tell Luke and Asch about something they already knew. Guy gave Luke a smile and climbed completely in the room.

"What'cha looking for?" His voice echoed in Luke's head and Luke knew Guy would have answers.

"Guy, how old am I?" Guy gave him a predictable confused look then gave a small laugh and responded,

"Luke, you're thirteen, why such a weird question?" Ah, thirteen. So he wasn't that far off. He was a young teenager again...crazy...Luke then shook his head at Guy's questions and looked outside the window. Okay, first things first, he really need to get back to Asch. Luke needed to get back to the original Luke, or he knew he was going to feel extremely lonely and not alive. Luke then felt a little quirk of a frown appear on his face, where could Asch be? This kind of thing was going to be troublesome. Luke then turned and saw Guy starring at him with slight confusion. Luke then realized that he may seem to be acting very strange. Luke knew he was only thirteen body-wise, and Luke vaguely recalled that he was still rather snotty and enclosed when he was this young.

"Guy, I need to find the God Generals." Guy blinked and felt an uncomfortable bristle in his core. This was Luke, but when had Luke learned about the God Generals? When had Luke looked so...well much more humble and smarter then ever? It was just such a random change; Guy didn't know how to react.

"Why would you need to see the God Generals?" Guy let it go though, being careful and letting it smooth over time, hopefully. Luke seemed confused for a moment, then frowned and shook his head rapidly.

"Ah, sorry. I don't even know what I'm talking about. I think I heard it from one of the maids, something about them being strong." Luke replied, trying his best to fake a smile, but Luke knew that he had always been a horrible liar (especially when it concerned his own being) and Guy had always been someone who could read him all too extremely well. However, predictably, Guy let it go easily and was more then likely going to wait to bring it up at a more opportune moment. Luke was grateful inwardly that Guy didn't seem much different then in the future. The redhead then gave Guy a great gentle smile, "Thanks Guy."

Guy blinked, did Luke just say thank you? It was extremely shocking, but Guy felt like he didn't mind, so he just nodded to the comment.

"No problem Luke." Luke then focused his mind on the current situation. Chances were, Asch wasn't even a God General, adding more to those likely chances, were to add that Sync and Arietta probably wasn't even part of the faction yet as well. Luke then felt his heart beat loudly when Guy commented, "Hey, Van is coming here today to train you some more basics today." Master Van? Could it still be possible to somehow convince the man to change?

The memory of his entire reason for being alive originally echoed loudly in the chambers of his mind. No, it was far too late. But...then that meant...Akzeriuth was still alive and blooming! Which meant that Luke could prevent it from crashing down and the millions who suffered from the curse of the miasma, Luke could prevent the destruction he had accidentally committed! Luke felt hope blossom in his heart. But first things first, he _really_ needed to get to Asch, because one of the few things the two shared in common was the fact that they were always extremely lonely. It hit Luke like past training situations, he had another chance! He felt so incredibly happy for the first time in his short life. Luke then slowly gave Guy the response,

"Guy, why can't I exit the mansion?" Well that was another random question, if he had ever heard of one. Guy shook his head, this Luke was quite strange, but it was still Luke, that much he was sure of. Guy remembered, long ago, how much he hated the redhead heir. A music of chaos and symphony of pain all wrought upon a want of revenge with blazing instruments would echo loudly in his mind everyday, and the impatience of wanting to rid the world of another noble would scream and screech and Guy when he was younger. However that all changed, rather astoundingly, when Luke was kidnapped.

When the boy had been rescued, it was apparent that he had lost all of his memories. The young boy had problems even talking and walking, something any toddler could do by then. It was then the music slowly blazed down as a sympathetic empathy came to tune the music in a different way. Guy couldn't even imagine being in the redhead's position, and when the time came for when Luke started to talk in a more fluid motion that was forced education, Guy remembered how loudly the boy commented the one thing that made the music crash down to stop permanently. The most unbelievable and insightful thing came from his mouth, and because of the new founded silence, Guy had time and silence to contemplate on why he seemed to hate someone who didn't even seem to have anything to do with his father.

It was slowly then, when he started to like Luke. True, the boy's personality had seemed to warp to the snobby rich types that were generally hated by the entire populace, but Guy had still started to like him. Most likely because of the fact that Luke had managed to stop the music, the chaos and hurt echoings that had plagued him since he was young. In a small way, Guy actually admired Luke, even if the boy was an idiot.

"Because you were kidnapped by Malkuth, remember?" No, he wasn't, but Luke couldn't just come out and say that. Luke nodded to this then sighed wistfully,

"I want to know what it's like outside." Guy blinked once more; Luke was definitely acting quite odd today, wasn't he?

"It's very beautiful." Guy responded and Luke nodded in the back of his mind. It was very beautiful when it was peaceful.

"Yeah, I bet. Well I'll go see Master Van." Luke started, only to see Guy already slipping out from the window. _'I have to get a hair-cut_' Luke thought to himself absentmindly, playing with his overly long side bangs. Luke exited his room and frowned. Hm, it seemed his body only remembered _Fang Blade_. That means if he just tried hyperressonance, it would most likely screw up. Luke knew he could at least port out from the manor and travel the rest of the way by foot, but it made things just more troublesome with traveling expenses, his identity, and the time that it would take to travel. Luke wanted Asch by his side _now_. Luke then stared up to the sky, seeing the patches of fonons in the air. He really was here...he was in the past...It was just...Luke felt happy, just because of the small fact he was in the past. The small little fact that he had another chance.

A chance to be with his original, without their little arguments that Asch would force upon the two just so they wouldn't cooperate with each other, a chance to get stronger, and a chance to save the world before it had to get in trouble! Luke could be a hero, and he would finally feel like he could be saved from the darkness he almost buried himself in from the constant stain of being the murder of Akzeriuth. Luke entered into the manor from the entrance from the side and Luke frowned slightly as he caught a glance of Guy's father's original sword. Luke stared at it with a slight tint of regret. Guy still had that hatred...being in the past meant that all of the good things that had happened in the future, hadn't happened. Those things had to be repaired again.

But...that was okay! Luke was sure he could do it. Luke then marched into the dining room, and saw his father and mother sitting at their respective places.

"Luke, should you be moving so soon?" Luke smiled; his mother was always so kind.

"I'm fine mother, thank you." Suzanne blinked at Luke's words and gave a bright soft smile back. "I heard that Master Van was here today," Luke commented, looking over to his nodding father.

"Indeed I am." Van's voice boomed from behind Luke, which the boy immediately jumped and stared at the overly seemingly tall man. Van! Luke felt his heart bunch a little, no matter what the man did; Luke could never find himself to truly hate the man. Another thing he shared in common with Asch. Van...Luke took a breath and stared at the man, this man had no idea what Luke knew. What Luke knew of his future plans of a crazy idea of destroying the score completely by making a world of replicas. Luke however, let his body rest, because he knew it would raise suspicion.

Luke _really_ didn't want that, because the boy knew that if Van knew what Luke knew, that the boy was from the future and what the boy knew. Luke shuddered at the thought of Van starting his plans early and a frightening thought of not being able to stop him at all.

"Master Van!" Luke let excitement flow through his voice, especially when the man gave a slight mentor smile to Luke. "We're training today?" Van nodded to this and pointed out to the center where they oftened trained before. Luke nodded at his gesture and led himself outside, making a grab at his wooden sword stuck in the sheath, and preparing for a battle. Van noticed the overly eager Luke and raised one of his eyebrows; Luke's battle stance...seemed unusually experienced. It wasn't anything Van couldn't find holes in, but it was...different.

"Van," Suzanne's voice drifted into his ears, "please be gentle with him today, he fainted earlier..." Again? Van frowned and nodded to the lady and wandered out to the waiting student. Van stared more closely at Luke's stance and couldn't help but notice he was heavily guarded and ready to use his offense to his advantage.

"You seem to be ready for this today Luke." Luke blinked then hesitated slightly, well the truth was that he was eager to relearn as much of his old moves as possible. Luke then frowned, noticing that he knew the Albert-style fighting and not just that, all of his future AD skills seemed to be with him. How was it possible for his body to know it just because he remembered it? Now that Luke thought about it, there were little patches of what seemed to be memories slightly missing. Luke felt a little frustration lead its way to his subconscious but nodded over to Van.

"I'm just anxious to learn Master Van." Luke replied, pulling his bukuto out. Van's battle stance was relaxed, which Luke knew it would be. He was thirteen-years-old, why take someone you knew was actually barely three, seriously? Luke knew he couldn't over show like he wanted to, so it was best to be calm. It was a sparring match, nothing serious, after all. As soon as this was over, Luke would start on his mission to get to Asch. After all, if Asch was training to be a God General (even if Asch didn't want to), then Asch would be training with the other oracle knights (or so he had hoped) which meant he needed to get to Daath. That would definitely be a long journey.

"Very well, show me what you can do Luke." Luke immediately launched himself at Van, not expecting his feet to actually respond to what his mind was thinking. Luke inwardly cursed for forgetting the fact his AD skills enhanced his movement naturally. Van seemed a little surprised as well and barely blocked Luke's sword. Luke jumped back and flipped to the side, yelling and summoning the energy,

"_FANG BLADE!_" Van grunted a little as it hit slightly and Luke jumped in the air, recovering from his arte quickly and gave a blow to Van's head. Luke knew it didn't do much because he was currently much weaker then Master Van, but today was Luke's short-lived victory. Van stood, slightly shocked as Luke grinned at him cheerfully. How? How was this possible? Guy stared from the benches and continued to stare in awe. When had Luke gained these abilities? When had Luke's battle movement become so fluid that only a skilled fighter could move with that much ease?

"Why Luke, I see you've been training while I've been gone."

"A little." When? Guy had never saw Luke training to that sort of dedication at all! Luke let those words exit his mouth and backed off from the teacher. "Are we done for today Master Van? I want to rest a bit."

"Hm...for today." Van thought of Luke's fainting spells and thought it best. After all, what use would a replica be if he didn't live to the day where he was supposed to die? Van looked over to where Guy had been watching at a comfortable distance and noticed the shocked look of silence upon his face. That would be strange, considering that if Luke had been training, Guy would be one to usually know all about it. The rapid improvement was highly suspicious. Van watched as Luke vanished into his room, wondering to himself of when Luke had started to fight so well. Van shooed himself, seeing that Guy had frantically wanted to follow the redhead into his room. Had Guy not known about Luke's improvement? It was a shocking change though.

Van had ended up deciding he needed to talk to the many guards and maids to see if Luke had done any secret training. After all, the last time Van had left Luke wasn't that long ago and Luke had no experience whatsoever with a fight and seemed open with his feelings. The changes in this Luke...was strange. Very strange indeed. Guy ended up sneaking into Luke's room as soon as Van left as there could be no witness for a 'commoner' as Guy associating with the redhead. When Guy had sneaked in successfully, he watched the teenager grab various items and stuffing them into an item bag.

"Luke, what's going on? You've been acting strange and what are you doing?" Luke paused in his gathering, thinking for a moment. Guy would be a valuable asset to traveling to Daath. But the instant Guy found out about Asch...No, it wouldn't matter, Guy could get over it. So Luke answered,

"I'm leaving." Guy seemed shocked and Luke understood why to a level. To Guy, a day hadn't passed and Luke was a lot different then he was yesterday. But to Luke...his mind was stuck in trying to get to Asch and saving Auldrant.

"You're...what?"

"Guy, you might not believe me and might even call me crazy, but I need to get to Daath."

"Wait! How do you know about Daath? Did your memories come back?" Guy was scared about that idea. If Luke was starting to remember the past, which would mean their friendship would have some awkward moments because of the fact on how Guy would mistreat the poor boy when he was younger. Guy then shook at the thought of this Luke not really being the true Luke. Guy wanted to believe this strange new person was Luke, with a kinder personality, with a strange strategic mind and powers of evasion. Luke shook his head rapidly and Guy felt relief flood his system slightly.

"No, nothing about the past has come to me." Every minute he was away he could feel the second ticking, taunting and reminding him how far away he was from Asch. Augh, why was Luke so obsessed with the feeling of being full again? Luke sighed as Guy gave him an admonished look. Guy couldn't help it thought, what he had been thinking of keeping inside until it seemed more important burst out.

"Luke," his voice sounded deadly, even to himself, "what's going on here?" Why are you so different? How do you know all of these things and don't you lie to me Luke." Luke felt himself flinch slightly. Guy...if there was anyone who would understand and accept the truth and stay by his side...Luke took a big breath.

"Guy, I..." But Luke felt fear for some reason, he was terrified. Why was he finding all of these conflicting feelings? Guy...Guy would accept him right? Luke felt his breath tightening and he felt like a little kid again. "I'm...not..." Tell the truth! Tell the truth! Guy wanted to know and he _deserves_ to know!

"Luke?" Guy gave him a concerned touch as Luke shuddered slightly. Guy really didn't mean to alarm the teenager; it was just that it was so different from his perspective. Guy truly didn't want this Luke to be a fake, didn't want it to seem like a dream. Guy didn't know what to think though. Why? He shouldn't be so afraid. Was it because he felt all alone? that aching emptiness and he wasn't a friend with anyone at the moment. Luke was terrified; it was like the terror of dying. Only it felt like it hurt much worse. Luke knew he was being ridiculous, he knew from the future that Guy accepts him as Luke, no matter what, but Luke was so afraid...

"I'm not the real Luke! I'm a replica of the original! I was born the day he was kidnapped and the original Luke is probably somewhere in Daath and the only reason I know all of this is because I'm from the future!" Luke knew his speech was hastened and in a fury that very few could understand. But Guy did, Guy was always too excellent in listening to Luke. Luke was too lucky to have Guy as a friend instead of an enemy like Asch had. Luke felt silence penetrate the air and didn't look at Guy. Why was he so afraid?

"Luke...?" Luke felt his back shudder at Guy's tone. there was a longer silence when Guy put both of his hands on Luke's shoulders. Luke looked up and felt like he was a little kid who was afraid of a scolding, but the look on Guy's face told him he was just confused but completely open and he wanted to understand. Luke felt relief seeing the odd look on the older teen's face, he was so happy. "Luke, try going a little slower for me, please." Luke stared and nodded very lightly.

Luke then started to explain in detail from what he could remember about the future and only said details of himself (leaving Van's crazy plans out it, leaving the fact he knew that Guy couldn't remember one moment of his life-time). Guy accepted the knowledge with surprise written all over his handsome features. "So let me get this straight." Guy started, walking over on the floor, letting Luke watch him pace. "Your..." Guy had to think of the word and accepted the word that came to mind, "soul," Luke nodded at this, agreeing absentmindly, "somehow came to the past from the future, but you can't quite remember how or why, and you are actually a replica of the real Luke, who now calls himself Asch and you know stuff that you can't tell me because it might damage the future?"

Luke nodded again. Guy took an exhale, letting his mind calculate everything Luke had said. "That's...amazing." Guy finished, sitting next to Luke on the bed, somehow feeling more comfortable with the redhead who had just spilled his innermost secrets. What reason would Guy have to believe this Luke was lying? Especially with all those little proofs of a more polite and controlled Luke. Luke started to feel less lonely and less afraid and childish. It was just the biggest relief that Guy understood. Luke gave a slight abrupt sigh and commented,

"Now you see why I need to go to Daath?" Guy blinked,

"I guess, but the whole castle will go crazy without you."

"They'll live, they did in the future." Luke commented, though rather backwardly as the thought of his mother lying in bed sick of worry appeared in the back of his head. Luke would have to write and leave a secret note just for her. Though Luke knew she'd worry no matter what.

"Really?"

"Yeah, how did you think I found all of this out? It certainly wasn't from sitting in my room!" Guy laughed at Luke's comment and Luke felt himself blush lightly at Guy's light laughter.

"I kinda like you like this Luke." Which was true. Luke smiled despite himself,

"Gee thanks." He kept smiling though from the slight compliment. Luke felt incredibly happy, now all he needed was Asch at his side (giving a glare of disdain) and he'd be really happy. "So Guy, will you help me?" Luke asked and Guy took a slight breath, thinking about it. However Guy did not think long and spout out,

"Yeah, I will Luke." Luke immediately started to get ready, gathering his item bag and started to write a note to ease his mother's pain in the future.

"Thanks Guy." Luke gave the other a smile after finishing his note and Guy actually smiled back, glad he agreed to help the red-haired sacred flame of light. Guy sighed then,

"Realistically though, there's no way we'll get out." Guy blinked then, when Luke gave a somewhat uncharacteristic smirk. Well at least that's what Guy thought, as he never had seen that look on the boy's face, so how was he supposed to know if this Luke did that often or not?

"I'll meet you at the port." Guy blinked and stared as a Luke glowed and disappeared. Guy felt panic light up in his limbs. Three words echoed in his mind at a loud and rampant pace: OHMYGOD. Guy didn't outwardly panic though, forcing himself to calm down and think about what had just happened. Luke said something about the port, so Guy should probably get going to the port. Guy started to move with the thought of a Luke outside the mansion alone was actually incredibly frightening. Never mind that this Luke was not exactly the Luke he knew, and apparently frequented outside.

Guy rushed though, avoiding the questioning looks that spawned from the guards and many various others as he fled to the mentioned destination. Guy made it and found Luke as the boy stood in the shadows of the abandoned side market with a dog resting near his feet. Guy was a little alarmed how annoyed Luke looked and he wondered what had happened to make the boy so sour looking. The truth was Luke had a huge headache building up and Luke had a feeling it was because of the use of his hyperressonance. Luke knew then he probably shouldn't use it anymore without training in it. Luke felt himself groan at the thought of training without the stern lecturing of Tear, what a pain! Guy wondered up to the redhead and frowned,

"What in the world did you just do?"

"Second-order hyperressonance," Luke answered nonchalantly, as though he hadn't did something that should have been physically impossible, and pulled out a cloak from his item bag and started to place it on himself.

"Second what?" Guy raised an eyebrow as Luke hid his long red bangs and Guy couldn't help but think Luke looked extremely different with just the helm covering his face.

"Second-order hyperressonance, it's a higher level of hyperressonance and it happens when two seven fonists collide in attack or something to that nature." Guy frowned, not used to the knowledgeable Luke.

"But there's only one of you...kinda." Guy was still a little confused about the replica thing, but all he knew was that he had to repeat to himself that Luke was Luke and that was all that mattered.

"Yeah, I can just do it." Luke didn't feel like explaining the whole prophecy of the Fabre clan that came from the Score. Ugh, the annoying thing about the Score would be around this world, how was Luke going to fix that? Luke then turned to the blonde and gave a slight sigh, "We should start heading out."

"On a boat then, right?"

"Yup." Guy nodded and turned to start heading toward the dock area. Luke felt himself smile though slightly as he started to follow Guy to a ship that was heading towards Sheridan. Luke felt the wind pick up slightly as the sun shined brightly above them with the echoes of a true hope blazed loudly.

Luke had another chance!

**_End Prologue_**

I wave with an awkward face, "Haha...if this isn't your first time reading this, sorry it took me so long to get the prologue out again. But I had momentarily forgotten that I was going to New York...a place where I barely had time for the internet, let alone sitting down and writing stuff." I bow, "So forgive me." I then turn to those who just started reading, "Hello! I hope you enjoyed the prologue, because I think this will be interesting to write. Especially since the original Ion is alive, and the original Ion is a jack-ass!"  
"M-chan..."  
"...A-san..."  
"...Just do the disclaimer..."  
"...Hai..."  
"I'll do it for you, M-chan doesn't own ToA and she hopes you enjoyed this prologue." D bows and A glares at her for encouraging me. I just sigh and nod once again then blink,  
"Oh yeah, thanks once again to Meimi no Kage for pointing out the fact I accidentally overwrote the prologue with the fixed version of Chapter I." I bow again, "Thank you!" I bow again and A rolls her eyes, "Thank you for reading! Please review!"


	2. Chapter I

_**Chapter I** _

_"Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can."  
-John Wesley._

Jade Curtiss gave another bland sigh, turning in his chair to file a piece of paper he had just signed. Being a General was a troublesome thing, he had never wanted to be one in the first place. But when his mentor had (expectantly) died on them, the king found himself in need of a new General, and honestly, who better then Jade? The man suspected the king had done this too just to torture him. Jade turned back to the paperwork on his desk and continued to sign in a tired motion. Of course, not many could tell he was tired, but the man hadn't been getting any sleep lately as Dist tended to make a racket that could wake up the entire city.

The dark haired man blinked when there was a light knock at his office door and Jade narrowed his eyes, expecting Peony but a light linger of shock passed through his eyes as Guy Cecil walked in with a stern looked upon his face. Immediately Jade felt there was something wrong, and judging by Guy's stance, that something wrong had to do with Luke. Guy was always predictable in his behavior when it concerned the redhead. It had only been a year since they had discovered Luke, long hair and a bit strange behavior that seemed to act like the Luke they had all come to love, but with a little hint of a temperament that seemed to come from Asch.

Luke had explained to them (after being surrounded by questions that would have made Jade actually glare at them all) that during the falling of Eldrant Asch's body fell for him to catch the body, then Lorelei, fully released and full of the energy of the fonons basically melded the two together. The reason Luke had been gone so long was because of this fusion between the two took a lot of time and pain. Luke had also explained that the celestial being was inside of him as well as Asch to use his powers freely and keep the world in a balance that would leave it living for a long time. Jade had been worried inwardly about that comment, as the military man wondered if Luke would live from that power for many generations in the future. However Jade did not question, just glad that Luke had come back (with Asch temperament and all).

"Jade." Guy started, walking over to the new general's desk and placed a paper down unto the desk. Jade scanned it momentarily and frowned. "What do you think this means?" Guy voiced his question after seeing the faint twitch in the general's face. Jade looked up at the blonde haired man and gave a speculative stare. "What?" Guy asked, not feeling well underneath that red-eyed stare.

"I honestly do not know what this means." Jade simply replied, disliking the fact he didn't know and stared down at the paper again, practically hearing the slight worried report from Tear Grants. Guy gave a loud sigh and pulled a chair to sit across the dark-blonde and gave him a determined stare.

"Do you think it has anything to do with Lorelei?" Jade gave a dismissal shrug. Lorelei was the number one suspect at this sudden disappearance of the redhead hero. However, Jade couldn't help but think there was something more to this then was showing. Guy gave another sigh, his brow looking slightly like a mother hen worrying about her egg. Jade couldn't help but think it slightly funny, as he found amusement in every situation that most would panic and worry about. "Luke couldn't have just gone missing for no reason." Jade agreed but said nothing, thinking more on the matter. There was another knock at his door though and the two turned to the entering figure, a simple fonist in training.

"Sir!" The fonist toughened up and saluted the man of whom's room he came into. Jade gave an annoyed sigh in his mind, but he outwardly gave his normal pleasant smile (though those who knew Jade would say it was not pleasant at all),

"Yes?"

"The prisoner is acting up again!" Well that wasn't any new news. Dist was _always_ acting up. However it must be an annoying silent like racket if a solider that was guarding over said prison come to make sure Jade to shut him up. Not that Jade _could_, in fact, Jade noticed that whenever he came Dist would make even _more_ of a racket. But no matter, if they wanted to believe Jade had control over the man's mouth, let them. Besides, this little interruption could give him a few moments to think on the matter. Tear's letter had been like a report, which Jade had expected but it also had the maturing lady's tone to it. Tear had been precise of the time and last place that Luke had suggested he had gone to last before he disappeared.

Poor Tear, after having to deal with the love of her life's thick head with a slightly new temper, he just up and disappears! Jade, though normally emotionless and not very good at being empathetic, couldn't help but sympathize for the poor brown-haired woman. Though Jade hadn't really seen how she developed over the year, as he had been in Malkuth the entire time while Tear was spending time with Luke and his family in Kimlasca. Jade stood up and excused himself from his guest (who rolled his eyes at the thought of Dist, then looked like he was pondering something for a moment after the action) and walked nonchalantly to the prisons. The soldier was almost gladly following him like a lost puppy, which annoyed Jade slightly.

They entered the 'prison' door and Jade told off the two guards so he could have a private chat with the white-haired childhood friend. Dist looked as sour as usual, pouting and slightly twitchy in the hands. The blonde remembered faintly this was because Dist hadn't tinkered with anything in over two years.

"Must you be so annoying?" Dist seemed happy for a moment that Jade was here and talking to him, but gave the man a sour look in reply.

"I am no such thing!" Like he hadn't heard that before. Jade sighed and just placed his hands in his uniform, giving Dist a dull glare. It was strange, only Dist could bring this side out of Jade, not even Van could get this disdained stare of a nature between hate and annoyance. Dist gave a glare at Jade's actions and moved his hands around in slight hatred, wishing to make some sort of impact in the blonde's stance. He failed though as Jade just continued staring, demanding to know why he was 'being annoying' as Jade had so eloquently put it. "How much longer do I have?"

"A life time."

"Oh right." Was that all? A slight hand twitch in his pocket, but the man standing outside the cell did not show any movement or change in his face. The one who was in the cell though, groaned and gave up for the moment. Had he succeeded? In so little time? _'It must be a record.'_ Jade thought sarcastically, however that changed as Dist looked up to Jade with a speculative look. "Is something wrong?" Jade could feel himself twitch a little at the question. If Dist could tell, then who else? How annoying.

"Oh there's nothing that can't be handled." A lie, but Jade didn't lie often, and nobody could really tell if he lied or not. However Dist persisted,

"I bet it has something to do with that huge fonon reading yesterday." Jade felt a lack of muscle control over his face for a moment and Dist grinned at the momentary frown that crossed Jade's face. "It must have been such a huge disturbance if I could feel it in here." Jade let another frown cross his face for a moment. It was true there had been a massive reading of a gathering of fonons, but the weird thing was none of the machinery could tell where it had came from or where it had disappeared.

"Oh? You believe something like that would worry me?" Dist's grin quickly turned to a distinct frown and he glared at the blonde.

"Yes! Yes I do!"

"Hahaha, that's an amusing theory." Dist growled at him this time, not liking Jade's nonchalant attitude. It was one of Jade's ways to make a wall, and it was extremely impressive and impossible to get through.

"Don't laugh at me!" The prisoner yelled at him childishly and Jade's laughter just increased, but not in volume just how long it lasted. Dist threw his fists up in an angered motion and gave Jade his nastiest of all glares, which didn't faze the man one bit, and commented, "I bet it has something to do with that replica too!" Jade stopped laughing at this. Dist felt a light bit of fear enter his subconscious as Jade truly glared at him. The white-haired fonon master was a little angered by the fact that the sheer mention of Luke could bring an emotion on Jade's face. Sure the replica was a perfect isofon from its original, but it wasn't _that_ special.

"Funny you should say something like that." Jade made a low tone with his voice, which sounded very much like a hiss. "That 'replica' as you put it, has seemed to have disappeared." Dist's ears perked at this information that Jade willingly gave to him. The replica had just...disappeared?

"So do you think his bonds actually dissipated back into the fonon belt?" The scientist came out and asked the question out of pure curiosity, remembering two years ago talking to Jade about something like this possibly happening. Jade shrugged,

"Perhaps, perhaps not."

"You can't just say something and not talk about it!" The man whined and Jade gave a slight groan with his limbs.

"I don't have the time to spend just chattering with you, no matter how much you may want it, Saphyr."

"WHO SAID I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU IN THE FIRST PLACE!" Dist snapped and the general just gave another sigh and turned. Dist went sour again, only silently with a visible pout upon his face. So the replica had disappeared? Strange things were happening, Dist was sure, and Dist knew that Jade had to know as well.

------------------------------

A scream filtered through the air at the Fabre mansion, which was shortly accompanied by a body falling to the floor. Fear ran across all the maids' faces as they had discovered the note that had clearly been left by a thirteen-year-old Luke fon Fabre.

"What are we going to tell the madam?"

"I'm scared for my life!" One of the maids clung to an older maid, who was staring at the note with a furious twitch.

"How the hell did he escape in the first place?"

"You know, Guy had been acting funny earlier..."

"You don't think...?" Gasps came from the servants and some of them even blushed at the thought. Obviously they were thinking the wrong type of things while the more sensible maids were trembling.

"Well there's going to be a guard here soon. He can tell the madam and sir."

"Yeah right, when had any of the guards actually had the backbone to talk to any of the lords in the first place?"

"I don't want to die!"

"QUIET!" A loud yell took place and the maids looked to the open door and stared hopefully as Van came in, looking a little more testy then usual, but that was okay! Surely he could find Luke!

"Commadant!" One of the maids cried happily and Van felt a headache starting to build up. However he looked over the situation. There were at least six maids in this room, one of them on the ground, two of them crying and holding their superior.

"What's going on here?" He asked, a quiet tone could be heard in his voice. The maid holding the letter looked down as she handed the letter to Luke's teacher. Van read over it, almost slowly and frowned. The basics of the letter was targeted towards Luke's mother, and told her not to worry, he knew what he was doing and he would see her again real soon. However it made no mention where the copy decided to disappear to, nor did it leave an explanation _why_. Van gave a distinct frown and the maids trembled still, expecting the commandant to be able to fix this problem quickly.

"I-I'm sure he couldn't have gotten far..." The eldest of the maids said softly, hoping that it would quell the man's frown. Van turned to the woman, still for a moment and simply nodded towards this.

"That is true." But WHERE could have Luke gone? It should be impossible for the boy to have even escaped from the mansion, let alone wonder around Baticul without anyone noticing the vibrant red-haired youth. So where could the boy have gone? Van, even though he was called a genius many a time, he was confused by this matter. Van then sighed and simply nodded, "Do not tell any of the lords until I come back. I will inspect the town and see if he is around." The most logical thing to do at that point. The maids nodded rapidly and Van let the six maids, who immediately resumed their duties of cleaning Luke's room.

Van went down the elevator and scrutinized the guard waiting on the bottom, asking him who had passed through and Van only got the description of Guy as an answer. The commandant of the oracle knights wandered in the center square, asking patiently the many people around the gathering place if they had seen a young teenager with vibrant red hair. Van got no answer that made him feel relieved. So Van went to the port, and had been slightly shocked to get an answer from a doddering old man who had only saw Luke for a few moments before the teen put on a cloak.

Van asked the old man what had happened exactly and the old man seemed crazy as he described Luke's entrance as a pure glow of light, scared the dog but the dog calmed down and sat near Luke as though as a protector. The old man continued to say that a blonde man came up to Luke, and Luke had said something about resonance (Van surmised that the old man's hearing was not the best in the world) and Luke put on a cloak to cover his appearance and the two bought a ticket on a boat. Van grew alarmed over this and frowned, thanking the old man, Van slowly went above to tell the bad news.

So Guy helped Luke escape huh? But what was this about a glow of light with the word 'resonance'? Van had seen only two pure glows in his lifetime, one was when he was younger, used as a device to fulfill the Score and when he had kidnapped Asch to make a replica. Van came to the rapid realization that Luke could possibly know about his inherit ability that he got from his original, who received his powers from his genes? That shouldn't have been possible at all! So Van shook that theory off and had found his way back into the mansion with a grim face. Van knew immediately if he mentioned the blonde man that escaped with the heir, the blonde would hunted until he was skinned in an ancient fashion scalping.

The maids crowded around him as soon as he stepped through the mansion's large doors. All of them looked at him with piercing hope but Van gave a somewhat loud sigh. "I'm afraid Luke has run away." The maids reactions were immediate. They all fainted. Great, that means he would get the lovely chore of telling Suzanne and Luke's father. How unbearably pleasant. Van went first to Luke's room, looking around the room for any hint whatsoever, however it just looked like there were very few things missing and rummaged for a journey and that strange letter that Luke had left for his mother. That was a clue, in a way, the dark-haired being supposed. Luke was extremely different at that moment.

Last when Van had left him, Luke was snotty and bratty as a three-year-old, just with a rapidly improving vocabulary and determination to prove he was better then everyone else. The commandant recalled the small attitude he saw just that morning. Luke seemed to be polite, carefully guarded somehow, as though he knew more then he was letting on. ...Did he know more then he let on? Was that even possible? Van remembered through the experiments that his God General Reaper (though he constantly complained to Van to be changed to the title Rose)(Which made Van question often why he had recruited Dist instead of Jade, but remembered that Jade seemed loyal to the Malkuth empire, even by Dist's negative descriptions) had said that Luke was a perfect isofon from his original.

Could it be possible for memories to pass down with those fonons and genes that Luke shared every inch with Asch? Even then, Van thought, it shouldn't have been this effective or change Luke's nature so rapidly. Nor should Luke know any of those abilities just by memory. Van frowned once again and took the letter that was written just for Luke's mother and relooked at it, not seeing anything that could be deciphered as a hint within the note. So Van walked towards the lady's chambers (as the duke was out, talking to his brother-in-law, no doubt about military tactics) and Van was introduced as the lady stayed silently in her bed, looking a little more tired then usual. The guard stood at Van's side as Van alerted the lady about the alarming news he had discovered.

Of course Suzanne stared at him idly for a moment, but then started to breathe nervously. Her nervous breaths became more rampant and tears started to surface in her dark eyes. The guard ran out to alert the doctors that Lady Suzanne needed medication and said lady covered her face in anxiety with tears running clearly down from her face to her rich blankets. Suzanne's voice shrieked into the air and she struggled to get up from her sheets, but her grip was extremely weak as she tumbled down on the ground. She cried so loudly and Van actually felt remorse as she continued to cry for her baby, and she hoped to dear Yulia that he was going to come out of this okay. That he was going to be okay, that he was going to live.

Van wanted to say that the mother was overacting, but he supposed this was just a trait of a loving mother. Doctors with a few nurses passed Van's place and they all helped Suzanne back into her bed, but she tried swinging at them, demanding them that they let her go. That she had to go and try to save Luke, because she was his mother, and she wasn't there last time to save him. Luke needed help, couldn't they see that? Van looked away as they wrapped the grieving dark-haired woman tightly into her blankets and administered a medicine that forced her to fall asleep. Van supposed he should have given the woman the letter before admitting the truth.

"Is it true?" Van nodded and the guard nodded back, and went off to support the dramatic issue that had happened during that afternoon. Van gave one last glance back at the sleeping mother, and frowned as tears seemed to keep pouring from her eyes. It must be a sad thing, being a mother. Especially a mother who seemed to love anyone unconditionally.

------------------------------

Guy marveled how long Luke seemed to stare at the sun and ocean water, even though the redhead said he really disliked the way the boat moved on the ocean. Guy asked him what he had to compare to from the future and Luke almost considered telling him, but then shook his head rapidly, telling Guy that he would become the fon-machine geek he was if he even mentioned what he compared to. This made Guy _extremely_ curious, but he made no move to ask the teen anymore. Of course that's when it pieced together now that the two had time to think. Luke really was from the future! There was a slight bump from the small boat as the ocean crashed on the side of it in a different current. Guy looked to see how Luke was getting along, and the boy seemed unbelievably steady.

"WHOA!" However that was not true with their other passenger. The boat was really small, so small that it could really only fit three comfortably. The other guest was young too, and worse, she was a female. Guy was alarmed as the girl almost fell but Luke instinctively reached the back of her shirt and pulled her back. The girl rolled on the ground of the ship and grunted as the strange doll on her back maneuvered around her stomach to lie itself calmly on her front. "Hey!" The girl yelled, getting up, her dark hair almost blinding at the sun's rays. Luke just gave the girl a huge grin.

"You're welcome, Anise."

"I didn't say thank you!" Guy recalled for a moment of when Luke boarded on the ship and Guy remembered that the boy seemed a little shocked by seeing the girl's face. With the tone of familiarity, Guy was sure that Luke had met this person in the future. Guy wondered what was so special about her though, not seeing anything but a cute young nine-year-old with a strange doll that could change shape.

"You're right, I'm sorry."

"Well I'm saying it now!" The girl replied back in a frustrated like matter, blushing as Luke handled her like the age she was. Guy felt a sigh escape his mouth, seeing as the girl was safe from the almost dangerous tumble off the ship. This Luke seemed to have unbelievable reflexes, and it was as though Luke didn't seem to forget of Guy's fear of touching women.

"What's a young girl like you doing traveling around the world for, anyway?" Guy asked, naturally curious about the reason the girl had given for being on the boat in the first place. Anise put a finger on her lips for a moment then grinned mischievously,

"I'm going to become a Fon Master Guardian!" Guy looked at Luke, expecting him to look confused, but instead Luke seems to smile at this and understand exactly what Anise was speaking about. '_Don't tell me Luke met Fon Master Ion!_' But that would mean that this girl did become a fon master guardian. Or was Luke just along the ride, pretending he understood the conversation? Guy didn't know.

"That sounds like fun." Luke commented, but tilted his head slightly, "But wouldn't you have to train to be an oracle knight before you could become a guardian?" Anise nodded, a little surprised that Luke seemed to know that little fact. Luke _did_ have that little no-brainer look on his face at the moment, so it was a bit understandable. Anise then replied to Luke's question with a bright cheerful smile,

"Yes, but I've mostly completed my oracle training, what I'm doing now is traveling the world to complete a missionary mission. I'm training myself to adapt to all situations and learn more about the past that is written on the fallen fonstones." Luke nodded at this, not expecting Anise to have made this journey at such a young age and time. What an extremely huge coincidence! Luke couldn't help but feel a little better, seeing the young fierce fighter. It was hard to imagine this dedicated girl turning into the older teenager with curly hair. This Anise still had dark hair and dark eyes and a moving Tokunaga, but her hair was surprisingly short and only curled at the end of her neck. Anise also wore oracle knight armor that was suited in a breastplate manner.

"That's amazing, didn't you have any escorts?" Guy asked and Luke wondered the same thing. Anise shook her head,

"Nope! This is my duty!" It was hard to imagine this girl as a greedy spy (though not on purpose), so Luke delved into his cloak's pocket and drew out one gald as Anise was still facing Guy with a curious look because Guy was subtly trying to escape the girl's range. Luke then flipped the gald piece and it landed on Guy. Luke sighed as Anise's eyes had watched the gald fly through the air and land on Guy. Immediately she jumped on the blonde and emerged victorious with the one piece. Guy shrieked and demanded Anise get away from him at that instant. However Anise ignored him, staying straddled upon him and staring at the piece with careful consideration.

At least until Luke lifted her off of Guy and set her far away from the frightened blonde, who looked very much like wanted to break out in tears. Anise then noticed the strange behavior of Guy's and frowned darkly. "What? You've never seen a real woman before or something?" Luke snickered underneath his breath and Guy shook his head rapidly.

"I-I'm s-sorry. I just freak out when a girl touches me." Anise rose an eyebrow, skeptical of Guy's confession and yelped slightly as the ocean crashed against the boat again. Luke caught her again and Anise coughed, blushing as she straightened herself out.

"Seriously?" Guy nodded and Anise frowned again, then just shrugged. "That's really weird."

"Haha...Yeah..." Guy was disheartened by this and Luke just felt himself smile slightly, understanding for once why Guy had seemed so sad about this. Before Luke would have just mocked and thought it just as strange as Anise. However, Luke knew he couldn't even bring himself to act upon the idea anymore because of the fact he knew the truth. Guy looked over at Luke for a moment, somehow feeling confused that Luke did nothing about his gynophobia. Guy always remembered that the old Luke always sighed or made fun of it, but this Luke somehow seemed to know something about the reason he had it in the first place. Guy definitely needed to ask questions of what Luke knew about him, even if it may effect the future.

It wasn't like they weren't already making big differences in the future anyway! At least, that's what Guy got from the gist of hints Luke gave about the future and himself. "Hey Luke-" Guy started but Luke turned abruptly because of a shadow overcastting the waters. Guy and Anise stared with shock and a gapping motion as a monstrous mutant splashed above the waters. Luke recognized it immediately from the caves of Sheridan and the time of Asch slaughtering it with the help of Natalia, Anise, and Jade came to mind. Crap.

"GET DOWN!" Luke commanded with an unseen maturity. Anise followed his words immediately as the ship rocked, throwing Luke high into the air and out into the seas.

"LUKE!" Guy yelled, but that yell followed as a yelp as the ship pushed forward as odd-looking jellyfish encumbered the deck. Guy pulled out his real sword and frowned, blocking the stings and trying his best to stay steady. However that ended as he landed on his butt from the combined force of the ocean and monsters. Guy growled, and swung his sword fluidly, "_DEMON FANG!_" It cut two as they had been close together and Guy frowned, seeing Anise in deep trouble. The only thing protecting her was the strange doll swinging its plush arms around, confusing its enemies. "Anise!"

"Guy! Help!" Anise yelled, keeping her head covered and whimpers surfaced from her mouth as she sustained damage from the jellies. Guy threw his sword, slashing through one of them and Guy took the chance to jump over the nine-year-old's body, protecting her, despite he could feel in the back of his mind a trembling of fear. However that fear was overcome with the stings of pain from the little enemies. Soon though the stings seemed to pause as a loud yell filled the air. Guy let his head lift up as he saw Luke bleeding deathly like, but he was surrounded by five of the strange creatures. Guy stared in an awe nature though, as Luke back stepped relentlessly and Guy was surprised that the boat wasn't shaking as much anymore.

"_Demon Fist!_" Luke called out around five times, swirling around to bring amount of energy into the air from the ground and disturbing the balance the pulps had made. Guy dare not move as Luke rolled and grabbed his sword, the teenager coughing almost randomly as he called out one final technique to finish a line. "_Sonic Thrust!_" At that the pulp's bodies lay, all dead and Luke fell to the ship's deck, breathing hesitantly and with pain filling his chest each time he breathed. Guy wasted no time in getting up and grabbing Luke's item back, giving him an apple gel. Luke twitched momentarily, but absorbed the gel like Guy had wanted him to.

"How...How are you alive?" Anise asked, her eyes wide and Guy wondered the same thing. Luke stayed still where he laid for a moment, filling dizzy from the battle. There were way more of those things then that time in the future, but then again, that monster had just showed up and disappeared. Probably back into the dankness of the caves, where it would hide out a little longer. Luke coughed again, extremely grateful that he was still alive at all. There should have been no way he could have defeated them...but he did.

"Luke?"

"I'm fine...I just need to...rest for a moment." Luke breathed again, extremely grateful for having mastered over _Angel Call_. Otherwise he would have died drowning from following that stupid monster, Ancylopolyp for even a moment.

"Luke, how are you alive?" Anise asked again, almost demanding the answer, frowning for a moment. Luke wasn't going to answer, as he felt a tired waved wash over him from the overuse of his technique points.

"Hey, are you all alright out here? What the hell happened!?" The captain seemed to come out, _finally_. Luke let his eyes rest, knowing that Guy would take care of the rest for now. However as he drifted to sleep, he couldn't help but think for a moment.

_'Did this happen when Anise traveled the world?'_ Because...there should have been no way she would be alive in the future if it did. Right?

"Umm...well we got attacked." Guy bluntly replied to the somewhat enraged captain of the boat. The captain stared around and frowned in a somewhat distressed state.

"I see that...Well, you get the one sleeping into the cabins, you," he glared over at Anise who seemed to pout at the lack of an answer, "come to the captain's deck with me. I don't want any young ladies getting hurt anymore, and we'll fix those scars you have on you." Anise blinked and rubbed the little marks of blood that bleed lightly.

"I'm fine..."

"We'll see about that."

"What about all of these things?" Guy asked, pointing with his head to all the corpses that lay on board, with Luke lying in his hands.

"I'll see if I can sell them at the port. We'll be there in a few more hours, so they shouldn't rot. I may get a profit from their possibly edible bodies." Guy paled at the thought, but whatever will be done, would be done. Guy nodded and grunted slightly as he carried Luke to the cabin they had been assigned at the beginning of the trip. Guy grunted as he tried to carefully slide Luke on the bottom bed, and Luke easily landed.

"You seemed surprised..." Guy commented slightly, noticing how shocked Luke seemed to be when he spotted the monster. Guy remembered that he looked like he recognized it, but he was still shocked nethertheless. Guy then sat down on a small table that was attached to the wall so that it wouldn't move. Guy tried his best in his mind to summarize what had happened, when he realized.

_'I touched a girl...willingly...?'_

------------------------------

Anise Tatlin groaned, chasing a once again, overacting Florian. However a smile crossed her face momentarily at the reminder of the young boy's beautiful cheerful smile. The cathedral didn't seem as big as it was anymore, nor did it seem to be dreary or dark anymore with that smile.

"Anise! Bet you can't catch me!" Florian's adorable voice echoed the air and Anise smirked to herself.

"Bet you I can!" Anise laughed, chasing the fon master. Anise wasn't officially fon master just yet, but she was training. All she had to do was go under religious training, since the Score was no longer needed. However Anise tended to ignore that part as she was not particularly the most religious person around.

"Hahaha!" Florian laughed, somehow running faster in his strange dress. Anise ran a little faster, but not to her true speed, letting Florian think he could beat her. Anise chased Florian to the glyphs that transport one who stepped on them and said the oh so magic words. Florian stepped on the yellow one that led to an empty room. Anise followed then frowned as she merged into the room. Florian wasn't there.

"Florian!" Anise yelled, demanding he show himself. Florian's giggle came into the air and Anise sighed, pulling her long sleeves up. "Alright Florian, I'm going to count to-" **T**a-**T**ump, "count..." Anise felt her head grow incredibly dizzy and vague. Something rushed into her mind and she wasn't quite sure what it was and fell to the ground on her knees. Anise felt something rush in her head, but she wasn't quite sure what it was.

"Anise?" Florian appeared, but Anise ended up falling, completely to the ground, not able to fight against the dizzy feeling rushing in her mind. "ANISE!" Florian's voice was blurry in her mind for a moment, and Anise felt something of a swirl of memory forcing its bubble up. A memory of a man covering over her in a ship, while another boy fought to protect both of them. Those were...Guy...Luke? What?

_**End Chapter I**_

Lying on my bed are A and D, both moaning and groaning because they try to take over my cold. I stare at them and shake my head, coughing.  
"So there's chapter...well one really. I promise to update every week, approximately with these many words. Anyway, I hope this chapter was just as good as the prologue! Interesting I hope. Cliffhanger, slightly. A lot will actually be explained in a bit, like the whole memory thing Anise went through at the end. Guy will go through the same thing soon." I sigh and shrug, "I'm not quite sure what one goes through to be a fon master guardian, but I do know about the missionary thing, so I assume she needs to try and read all of them. I wasn't sure if they were all on Daath or not though. I hope not. Anyway, yeah...here's this chapter for this week. See you next week on Tuesday!" I blink for a moment then recall, "Oh yeah. I just noticed I misspelt Luke's mother's name wrong according the English version of ToA, so if it bothers anyone, tell me right away and I'll fix that error. I also forgot the disclaimer, so forgive me, and be sure, I DEFINITELY DO NOT OWN ToA!" I sigh then nod, finished and satisfied with my little talk.

_**Thanks To.**_

VeiledDarkness (Ugh, thanks for pointing that out to me. I would have never noticed because I wrote that chapter on notebook paper, right? So I tend not to notice when I do stuff like that. Anyway, I'm glad I did a fine job! I hope I did just good job on this chapter!).

LatyfeSurLeSora (Yeah...that'll be interesting...(Stares off into space darkly) Thanks for the review!),

cherryblossoms24 (Hahaha, sorry, I accidentally tend to make everything seem like it may have shounen-ai in it. But that's really because I think there's a lot of tones in the game. So it's really the games fault for making its characters so...bendable. xp. Hah, sorry. Anyway, I hope this chapter made you happy, because it showed a little of the future and the past. Whoo-hoo!)

angelus-2040 (I kept in character? Seriously? YAY! Thanks for the review!)

killerbunbun (I'm glad, and thank you for faving it as well.)

Meimi no Kage (So...uh...if I turn you off by this message, please forgive me. But uh...I am a total and utter fangirl for your writings. So I am extremely complimented by the fact that you reviewed my story, and may have seemed to maybe enjoyed it. So...umm...thank you so much. I'm going to be encouraged now, for a long time. I'm a sad, sad, fangirl...hahaha...)


	3. Chapter II

_**Chapter II** _

_"The truth is more important than the facts."   
-Frank Lloyd Wright_

It had been two days. TWO whole days! This was ridiculous, by now, he should have found the boy, with help or not. Van, after alerting the majesty (and seeing the stunned face of the princess) had surveyed what ships had shipped off that day and time. There were two ships, one that was to head off to Chesedonia and the other to Sheridan, both on a quest for trading. Van had got some of the soldiers of the palace to follow after the Sheridan one, while he went after the Chesedonia. The waters were the easy part, going through Chesedonia was not so easy. Van vaguely remembered the Fon Master listing off readings of population and buildings in each town and city to counsel members that were seeking board of approval from the religious master to build more buildings.

Chesedonia had approximately over ten thousand occupants surrounding the streets. At the time Van discarded the information with the fact that Chesedonia was one of the rare places where Malkuth and Kimlasca would allow their pride to blend together to create a safe town with flourishing people and trade. Now however, Van slightly regretted not to get the complete layout of the booming city. To say it was huge was a little of an overstatement, Van had been traveling between places like the Kimlasca mansions and the cathedral in Daath after all. But the people there were all traders and hogged the streets with chatting about irrelevant things and trading gald off for new weapons or food.

Van was beyond irritated. Since he started his search from the Kimlasca side, he had only managed to make it through the doors and streets to make it to the part the Chesedonians called the checkpoint, a part strictly between Kimlasca and Malkuth's borderlines. It wasn't just that though, it was also the fact he had yet to hear from the soldiers he had sent off to Sheridan. The man couldn't help but wonder if Kimlasca soldiers were competent at all, especially with letting Luke escape.

That little detail still bothered the young man, but he refused to acknowledge that it could have been possible for Luke to actually use the ability that was in his genes. Especially since even Asch didn't know how to control it until he had started tutoring him. Another little detail that had been irritating him for within the span of the two days. While on board of the carrier ship, someone had asked him if he was _the_ Van Grants, commandant of the Oracle Knights. Van had answered to the call and the person gave him a letter that he said was from some freaky guy in a flying chair.

Van knew immediately just by the description who it had been from and when he tore open the contents, he was slightly alerted by the news within it. Asch had been acting peculiar, it seemed from the letter. Asch had seemed to stop eating and was surprising quiet, and when he wasn't training he would retreat to his room and do nothing but lay in his bed, muttering something strange that Dist could not understand. Van knew Asch, and Asch never took to be the type to just lay around and think things. Actually ever since had kidnapped the boy (though he was happy at the time) his temper would get him frustrated to the point of needing to train just all the time.

It was a strange thing that bothered Van to no end, a reclusive Asch? It was something that was unbelievable. It was just those two little details, both relating to the same subject somewhat. Asch and Luke. Van really didn't want to think about what could have possibly happened to their personalities because there was no answer to pull out a theory anywhere. Van gave a loud sigh and marched to the room he had rented for the days he would stay there searching. Van knew it was unwise to just stay in one place searching for the replica, but Van thought it would take a few days for the travelers to actually travel. Luke had taken little money and Van knew that Guy did not have much money at all, being a servant of the Fabre household.

It was likely they would stay in a certain part, raising money and buying food and gels so that they would not get injured during the journey. When Van had made it inside the hotel, and slowly started to climb up the long stairs that taunted him as his footsteps echoed. It was troubling, again the process of elimination crossed Van's mind. Van wanted to think that it was all actually Guy's plan, that way it would make sense someway or another. However Van knew that Guy's nature would most likely want to slay the youth in front of his father and mother in the past, and as much as Guy wanted to say that he was completely changed, Van knew that human nature could not think nor change that easily. Actually, in common sense it looked all like Luke's plan.

Luke had been the one to leave the letter, a sign he was thinking and knew what he was doing indefinitely. Luke had been the one to take an item bag with him not even full of apple and orange gels that begged to be used. Luke also had a motive to get out of the household, a longing for adventure and a vision beyond the mansion. But every time Van thought about it, it just truly did not make sense. Van made it into his room and raised a brow as he saw three letters on the side of his bed, lying for the world to see. Van immediately made himself comfortable upon his bed and read the letters.

The first one was from his little sister, who had excitingly (yet in a strange way that Van had only seen Legretta write like) that she was doing better at her training and that the flowers in Yulia were blooming brighter then ever, and that she couldn't wait to see him again eventually. Van actually felt a little tint of happiness at his sister's 'report', glad to have a little reminder and break from this whole troublesome manner. The second one was from the guards he had sent to Sheridan, and they had been given reports of a blonde fitting Guy's description walking around Sheridan, but no heir with him. Van let the possibility of Guy just being a bystander enter in his mind for the moment and considered it, but let it go for later comparisons of theories.

The last and third one was from Fon Master Ion, and Van felt himself frown as there were eight words that Van could imagine the light yet dark tone in the man's letter.

_"I heard that the sacred flame is missing."_ Van knew that was a sign that he needed to discuss this with the Fon Master. Van was not afraid of the man, not at all, in fact they shared a great deal in common. But very few knew the true nature of the dark-haired being, the lengths he was willing to go to just to fulfill the Score was frightening and the way he handed his diplomacy was extremely talented. It was hard to believe that it could have been possible that he was dying. Of course nobody really knew about this news, the doctors seemed confused by the strange spells of sickness that the Fon Master would have but he would always recover.

Van gave a slight sigh and looked out of the window to see a piercing sun lowering down over an endless desert. There were just too many details that were bothering him at the moment for him to deal with this right now. As though he was missing something from an obvious statement, but Van truly had no idea of what could have been possible.

------------------------------

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes."

"Are you _really_ sure?" "Yes Anise."

"But...it's a waste."

"No it isn't."

"Your hair's too pretty to cut!"

"Anise just cut it!"

"NO! I REFUSE!"

"Hey guys, might want to keep it down? Those soldiers are still here, trying to find us you know?." Anise and Luke's argument cut as they looked over to Guy who peered through the rocket tower's window and watched as said soldiers passed, both of them grunting about what a waste of time it was. Guy then looked back to the two younger ones and stared a little uneasily as the two were both attached to a pair of scissors. "Anise I'm sure he has a good reason."

"Do I look like I care Guy?" Ouch. Guy could never get why girls were so obsessed with hair, especially each other's, but Anise seemed like she was rather mean. Luke gave a loud sigh and removed his hand carefully and gave a light stare over to the girl.

"Anise, it would be better if you cut my hair, because if you don't, I'll find a dagger and do it myself." Guy flinched at the thought of Luke using a dagger over his longish hair. Sure this Luke seemed to use weapons with certain finesse, but still, a dagger was much more dangerous to cut your hair with. Especially if you didn't know where exactly you were cutting. Anise growled and pouted back,

"Fine!" Luke gave a resigned sigh and sat as the girl started to play with his hair, and seemed to be pondering about the soon to be loss of the vibrant red hair. It had been two days they had wasted here in Sheridan, one of the days Luke had to use to recover as he felt unbelievably tired from overusing his techniques (and got an extreme scolding when he woke up from Guy) and then having to stay in secret away from the guards that had followed them from Baticul. It had been lucky that Luke remembered the blacksmith just by the tower and it had been even more lucky that the blacksmith had _wanted_ to keep Luke's journey in secret. It seems that when Luke spoke the materials he knew very little about (only from what he could remember from the future) that he had earned the valuable friendship of their keeper.

Luke had wanted to visit the Iemon and the others but Guy had refused the redhead to going out and in time Luke agreed with the decision. Though Luke couldn't help but think it somewhat unfair that Guy would go to talk to them about fon machinery whenever he got free time. He wouldn't even know WHERE the oldies were if Luke hadn't told him about the council meeting room. Ah well...Luke would have other chances, after all, they had only died in the first place because of Van chasing after them. Luke smiled to himself, more people who weren't going to die!

Luke decided to remember the day before as Anise continued playing with his hair, getting it slightly wet before chopping it to what she considered even. Luke remembered how he stayed in bed all day, getting stared at wild-eyed by Anise and Guy would walk in and out with stew that was supposed to have healing properties. At least Guy was a decent cook, but Luke should have just told Anise to do it instead, honestly. Luke then remembered answering Anise's question on how he had survived the battle and being thrown overboard. It was a simple explanation but vague, a 'you'll learn the same technique in the future'. Luke had forgotten that nobody truly knew what skills they would get before they got it.

Luke's day was also composed of Guy's questions whenever Anise wasn't around. Like 'How did you learn those techniques?' and 'You seemed to have recognized that monster, what was it?' and other questions that made Luke feel a little dizzy in the head. Guy had wanted to know to much so Luke had, in a little bit of an irritated manner, told Guy to shut up, it was the future and he'll learn about it later. Luke regretted saying that but it seemed like Guy had gotten over it. Luke opened his eyes as Anise gave a loud sigh. Luke surveyed Guy's brow raising and a finger lying on his chin.

"Not bad."

"I guess," Anise surveyed her look, but chopped a bit more from his side bangs to match with his haircut. Luke requested a mirror and the boy smiled as he looked more like his future self. Luke didn't know why he liked it, especially since it was just a sign of how pathetic he was and the strange hope a haircut could only bring of a forced change, but it still made Luke slightly happy. He really didn't know why though.

"It'll be easier to hide me now. They're all probably looking for a long haired redhead."

"Even then, there aren't many people with that hair color Luke."

"Right, right." Anise gave another loud sigh and placed the scissors on a table while ignoring the red fibers on the ground and folded her arms at the older boy.

"So you're really Luke fon Fabre?"

"Yup."

"And you're heading towards Daath."

"Yes."

"Why?" Luke could have sworn he had this conversation before but just shook his head and folded his own arms back with a light smile to the dark-haired girl.

"Why do you need to know? Aren't you supposed to be traveling around the world?" Anise gave a frustrated blush and nodded,

"Yeah well...I'd just like to know! You don't see a prince everyday you know!" Luke had actually been surprised that Anise had not tried to play sweet on him, from knowing this fact that he spilled out to the girl yesterday. Actually, maybe she was, but she was too overwhelmed with curiosity at the moment to charm Luke. Luke laughed slightly,

"I'm not a prince."

"Well close enough!" True. Luke didn't deny that, faintly remembering his future title as a Viscount and possible Duke. Luke then shrugged lightly,

"Well you don't really need to know, do you?" Anise pouted at the redhead and Luke frowned as he remembered that Anise had been a spy. Though he held no anger towards the girl like most people would over a betrayal, he couldn't help but think if the girl was going to end up reporting his presence. How stupid of him! He had been so excited and happy to see a familiar face and being friends again he completely forgot about the fact she was a spy under Mohs! That must have been the real reason why the girl was digging deep and hard for information. Luke remembered if Anise was curious about something she ask twice and if she didn't get an answer oh well, let by gones be by gones. But information that was important...

"Why not?"

"Well are you done with your journey?"

"Almost." Anise admitted lightly, her tone wary of the sudden change of subject. Luke continued,

"Well then you still have to go somewhere, it's likely we'll be away from each other, so why bother your mind with little details?" Guy went to take a seat and watch the conversation between the two. Luke seemed to be hiding something more then usual, which was odd because Luke had not seemed to have an extreme problem with informing this girl about the fact he was an heir of royalty. Luke had seemed happy about meeting the girl but right now he looked...suspicious. Guy wasn't exactly sure of how to deal with this and just continued to stare. Guy had never felt so useless in his entire life (well except that one moment he couldn't remember, but really, what if he wasn't useless? He couldn't remember...). Anise gave another loud sigh and sat down as well, the three sat at the table and leaned into the silent cloud.

"Well what if I traveled with you?"

"You would do that?" Guy interrupted Luke's next sentence with a sense of amazement. What kind of nine-year-old was this girl? First she wants to travel the world to become a fon master guardian, and apparently she was really close to finishing but she was willing to give it up to follow two teenagers who were on an unknowable (to her) quest to Daath? What a crazy nine-year-old!

"Well sure, why not? It'll help...broaden my horizons." Luke felt a snicker exit his mouth and Anise gave him a light tap on his shoulder with a slight glare at the edge of her eyes.

"I dunno...wouldn't you get in trouble or something?" Guy asked, not really sure of a young girl actually accompanying them.

"It's not like I'm a time limit or something." Though compared to the rest of the Fon Master Guardians who had went through this, she was actually early then most. Anise admitted proudly to herself, so it wouldn't hurt to do a detour, after all, all she had left was a stone somewhere in Malkuth (she assumed near the capital) and she could go back to Daath to get initiated officially.

"Are you sure you would want to?" Geez, what was with all of these questions? Anise stared at the strange teenager and couldn't help but think that he was trying to get rid of her, and Luke wasn't helping, just by letting him talk! Geez! Anise frowned and smirked,

"Yes. I'm sure." Guy felt a little quiver of fear as the young girl smirked, "Why, you scared of me?"

"N-N-No, of course not!"

"Don't tease Anise." Anise stopped from rising from her chair as Luke chuckled slightly, "I'm sure it's his way of foreplay." Anise got confused by the word but Guy apparently did not.

"LUKE!" Luke just gave a loud laugh but then seemed to have realized what he said and leaned his head into his hand and groaned something that sounded very much like 'Dammit, Jade must have rubbed off me' which made Anise even more confused and it was one thing that Anise truly did not like and that was to be confused. "When did you get so dirty-minded?"

"Ah you know, this and that." It was dirty-minded comment? Seriously? Anise never would have though Luke to be the type to make any comment like that unless it involved cleavage, but she had been used to hearing any man talk about the female anatomy. Anise was about to speak about something different when there was a knock at the door. The three tensed up and Luke immediately went off to hide while Guy slowly answered the knock to the door. It was the two guards from earlier and one asked loudly,

"May we come in?"

"I'm afraid the owner is out at this moment." The guards laughed cheerfully,

"Great, then let us in! Maybe you have some ale that we can borrow?"

"I'm sorry but-" The guards introduced themselves in, bypassing Guy and sat at the table with laughter of abusing their position. Guy narrowed his eyes over to the doorway where Anise stared from in a rather good hiding position. The guards slapped their hands on the tabletop, yelling happily about an order of beer. Guy shook his head darkly, on the Duke would have guards like these degenerates. Guy simply nodded and forced himself to comply with their orders. Sometimes having a controlled anger was irritating, as it would come out in the most annoying times. The music was so loud in Guy's head once again.

Guy passed Anise who kept staring at the knights with a suspicious stare and Guy made it to the kitchen, glad that there had been enough to hopefully satisfy the men. Guy jumped a little though as he turned to see Luke in his cloak once again. "Luke!" Guy whispered, hissing slightly as he could hear the chattering of the other men in the room easily and knew if he said anything too loudly they were be alerted of the boy with him in the kitchen. "What are you doing? Go back into your room."

"It's a ruse." Luke whispered back and Guy blinked in slight confusion. Luke then thought about his choice of words and muttered more clearly, "A trap." Guy blinked again, though this time with understanding. Guy frowned and stared directly at Luke, who was frowning to an extent that Guy would never thought would fit Luke's face. "We need to escape."

"How? And how do you know?"

"I saw guards surrounding the place, apparently this is the only place they haven't searched." But why bother using a trap? Had they hoped to bring Luke out just by their presence? Annoying, Luke thought then looked back to Guy, "There's an elevator to the upper levels, we'll jump from there. I'll get Anise while you handle the machine." Guy nodded as Luke pointed to where the elevator was. Luke sneaked upon Anise, shushing her as the guards started to get louder about needing their ale right away. Luke held her hand as they quietly went to the elevator where Guy waited to pull the lever.

When Guy had pulled the lever it made a loud horrific sound that Luke had not remembered it would and pulled up to the second floor. Just going up though Luke heard the crash of the table and a loud yell of command. The three joined together as they opened the window door. Guy went first, jumping upon a guard's helmet and bringing out his sword to combat the beings around him, however those who had pulled their swords were squashed by a growing Tokunaga, which Anise quickly jumped on his head and the Tokunaga bashed its way through the enemies. Luke was the last, landing on his feet harshly, and following as Tokunaga broke the ranks slowly.

"Anise, we need to get going!" Guy yelled at her, though glad he didn't feel fatigued because of the helpful doll. The girl nodded and Tokunaga shrank very quickly and Anise followed the two fleeing teenagers as a crowd of bashed in armors followed them, yelling a loud together 'GET THEM'.

"Where are we going?" Anise yelled, nearly tripping over the rocks of the harsh brown dirt that surrounded Sheridan from living near mountains.

"The port! We'll lose them on a ship!" Though that would only delay them, Guy knew. But Luke was definitely intent on not getting caught, and Guy supposed his reason was important after all. Luke had been the fastest of the three, though Guy felt he had been trying to force himself to hold back. The three got the port in time of a ship just barely leaving. Luke grabbed Anise surprisingly effortlessly and threw the girl unto the leaving ship. Anise yelled and when she crashed on the ship she cursed at Luke with a fury as the boy looked at Guy anxiously.

"We need to jump."

"Right behind you." It was practically an army as they swarmed the port but Luke and Guy both jumped towards the ship, both grunting barely making it to hang unto the side. Anise helped Luke up, falling on the ship's top while doing so and Luke immediately helped the hanging Guy. By the time the three were settled comfortably on the ship and looking back at the port of Sheridan the guards themselves could not jump on said ship. One of them, assumed to be the head yelled and looked over to one of the porters. Grabbing him roughly he yelled,

"Where there hell is that ship heading too!?"

"G-G-Grand Chokmah, sir..." The man replied back, afraid and was thrown back to the wall as the head knight felt anger and fear course through his veins.

------------------------------

Guy had been feeling really dizzy as of late. Strange things seemed to have appeared in his mind, but he wasn't quite sure on what to make from it. Guy had discussed his with Jade and the general had simply given him the explanation of the fact the man was stressed and not getting enough rest. That _had_ been true, but Guy felt like there had been something more to it. Like strange flashes of a young Anise and a young Luke with his hair cut like he had it back when they were saving Auldrant.

Guy walked the long taunting halls of the castle, looking for Luke the rappig as Peony had lost him and requested Guy to find the poor rappig ("I can't certainly leave my poor little Jade, he'll probably run off again! Oh please find Luke, he might end up breaking one of his legs again, and I don't want to go through that tragedy again!")(Guy had once again been creeped out from the way His Majesty used his words). Guy started to feel a bit dizzier then usual and he stumbled with his steps slightly. Maybe he should get checked out by some cute nurse or something, yeah, that's what he should do...right after he found Luke.

The rappig was found by the waterfalls that ran outside the throne room and Guy laughed as the animal looked up at him. "Now, now Luke, you've been troubling the king again, come on, let's get you-" **T**a-**T**ump, a sway, "...back..." Memories crashed into his subconscious but he leaned against the wall before he could tumble down. Guy frowned as strange memories of escaping guards and Luke getting his haircut...what the? Guy groaned and held his head.

"Sir Galardia, are you alright?"

"I...I'm fine." Guy grunted back as a reply to the worried man in armor, "Could you do me a favor and get Luke back to His Majesty?" The guard hesitated for a moment, looking over to the rappig and then back to Guy but nodded in reply.

"Yes sir."

"Thanks." Guy gave a good-natured smile and the guard did as Guy request. As soon as the man left Guy let his body slide to the ground, in a sitting position to hold his head as the biggest headache of a lifetime consumed his entire body. What was this? Why was Luke? From the future? Guy shook his head rapidly only to help the migraine in its power. Guy cursed silently to himself and looked up to the ceiling as his eyesight started to blur. What in the world was this? Guy closed his eyes, not having the power to do anything but succumb to the pain.

Jade had been the one informed as soon as someone had found Guy and placed him in a resting area. Jade had slowly gathered his things and made his way to Grand Chokmah's hospital wing and had placed his infamous doctor's clothes on before entering the room. Though Jade was no doctor, he knew enough to examine if what was wrong with Guy was physical or mental. Of course some of the nurses were afraid to approach now that Jade had been there, but no matter. Jade had done the normal procedures and frowned as he could not find an exact physically ailment.

"Umm...general...I...I don't believe it's wise to be playing doctor over something serious." Oh if this nurse had only known, she would have shut her mouth. Ah well, nothing big though. Jade nodded and the nurse frowned, looking over to Guy who lay still in the bed. "A guard said that he was looking a little strained before he was found sleeping on the ground against the wall."

"Strained?"

"Yes, as though he had an extreme pain somewhere." Ah, Jade had those sorts of pains. He was such an _old_ man after all. Jade frowned again and sighed absentmindedly and looked over to the sleeping man. It is very strange that Guy out of all people would just drop down and fall asleep, especially in some sort of pain.

"Sir!" Jade turned to a random soldier who had came to the room. The man was hesitant as he saw the women glaring at him for interrupting their 'diagnosis' procedure's on Guy.

"Yes, what is it?" Jade gave his usual tired sounding voice, though it was accompanied by a not so pleasant smile.

"You have received a summonings from Master Florian of Daath." Jade rose an eyebrow in slight confusion. A summoning? How very strange, and from Florian? Even stranger. It seems that Jade's days have been piling up with strange affairs.

"Has His Majesty made allowance for this?"

"Yes Sir! I also have this letter from Master Florian!" Why did all of these drones have the need to _shout_ whenever they spoke to him? It was as though he wouldn't acknowledge them unless he had to hear their voices from the heavens.

"A letter?" Jade questioned though, his interest piqued a little as he looked over the letter. Oddly, it wasn't written by Florian (though his signature was on the bottom with a little P.S. of HIIII JAAAADE! xoxoxoxo and Jade could sense Anise yelling at Florian for leaving it in ink) but by Anise. Jade scanned it quickly and felt his interest rise. Apparently, in the letter, Anise had fainted two days ago and when she had woke up, she was alarmed to have new memories of the past. Anise wanted Jade to come by immediately to check if there was anything wrong with her. Jade thought it strange, but found it funny at the same time. Jade then looked to the soldier and the man stiffened at the red-eyed stare of the man, "Very well, please prepare a ship to Daath for me, a small carrier."

"YES SIR!" The man ran off immediately and Jade looked back at Guy, who actually moved a little uncomfortably in his sleep. How very interesting.

------------------------------

Guy's eyes darted nervously between Luke and Anise. The two stared dully at the captain who had found them stowing away on his ship. How could these two be so damn calm!? Didn't they know that some captains actually threw off stowaways?

"And what do you have to say for yourselves?"

"We jumped on your ship."

"And we're very sorry." How is it possible to say that without really actually sounding like it? Guy stared at the two younger ones who looked relatively calm. Had Luke done this before, was that way he wasn't panicking? Or was there a different reason? It annoyed Guy that he didn't know.

"Reeeaaallly," The captain stared and stared wide-eyed at Luke, who backed up a little from the old man's stare. Guy felt a little twitch but then the captain backed up and nodded, "Fine. Alright."

"Thank you sir." The two who had not cared at all, thanked the man and Guy just felt himself sigh loudly. The captain turned to Guy and Guy stiffened under the calculated stare,

"You'll be working to pay for all three of you." Guy stared, how...how unfair! Why was it that Luke and Anise got off easily? Sure Guy could understand Anise getting off easy, but Luke? Why? Just when he thought he'd get a break from duties as a servant. It's just crazy!

"Don't worry Guy, I'll help out." Luke smiled and pat Guy on the back, still with the helm of his cloak on.

"How come you didn't panic?" Guy asked as the captain went off as Anise followed him to their new room.

"He didn't seem like the guy who would do anything." Luke answered truthfully and Guy stared at the boy.

"Or did you know he wouldn't, from the future." Luke paused at this and shrugged,

"I've never met him before." Guy gave a slight groan, kind of feeling like a real teenager, though with the tiresome task of cleaning a ship wasn't helping.

"Seriously?"

"Yup, never in my life-time." Luke admitted, folding his arms, oops, forgot to ask where the ship was going. Ah well, it can't be that far off from Daath, at least Luke hoped. Luke pulled back his helm, squinting at the sun shined upon him abruptly. "Ah, on the sea again." Guy laughed slightly and looked over to the young redhead, it really was unbelievable. Luke even _looked_ different now with his short hair. "We should probably start cleaning a bit, I'm kind of surprised there isn't that many crewmates on board."

"Yeah I'm surprised too." Guy joined in the conversation, glad that he could actually _talk_ to Luke without worrying about status and all those troublesome things. Guy probably would have had time to talk earlier but he had been busy worrying over Luke's recovery and knowing what Luke knew but Luke wouldn't tell. Guy really wanted to know what Luke knew, of the future, of him, of anything that could be helpful during their journey. But Luke really didn't want to talk about it, and though Guy didn't know why, he stood away from the subject. The two grabbed two brooms on deck and started brushing at the deck.

"Guy..."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks again." Guy blinked, it was still surprising to hear Luke say those words, even though he kept hearing them the day before.

"Your welcome Luke, but why do you keep saying that?"

"...Because it must be hard to believe me, that I'm really Luke...that I'm from the future. I...I'm just glad that you still believe me." It was hard _not_ to, especially when the boy seemed to give reasonable mature vibes and the moves with his body that was unnatural.

"Don't worry about it Luke." Guy knocked his arm with his own and gave the boy a soft smile, "It's something friends do." Guy blinked again when Luke gave him a big smile. Guy wondered why it seemed to make Luke more comfortable hearing these words. "Oh yeah, I've been wanting to ask..." Canons blazed in the back of his mind angrily, "Why do you want to get to the original you so much?" Luke paused in his sweeping to look up at the slowly growing dark sky. Luke's eyes dwarfed around the question for a moment then answered and Guy felt the canons pause to hear him speak,

"Because in a way he's me, but he isn't me...and I really don't like being here without him." Guy stared at the somewhat longing look that was in the teenager's eyes. Guy couldn't quite understand it, but he sensed there was something about the two that probably couldn't be expressed in words. Guy had no idea what that may have felt like and he couldn't help but be a little confused over it.

"Is that all?" Luke shook his head,

"Also...he's important...for the future." Luke looked down and Guy couldn't help but feel a strange change he had never seen in the boy's body, but it was fairly obvious what it was. A feeling of overwhelming sadness that effected the body directly, so directly that it was so obvious in an 'aura'.

"...How so?" Guy paused, staring at the stance uneasily and not knowing how to fix it. Luke looked up at the blonde and Guy felt something was off but he wasn't sure what,

"He...He just is." Of course Asch was important! Asch was always more important then Luke! Luke had no qualms admitting that, even after hearing Asch yell at him about it for so many times (even bonded), Luke would never give up that fact. Asch was better then him, Asch was worth more then him, Asch was the one they needed for unleashing Lorelei!

"Okay." Guy simply said though, easing Luke's memories of stupid angst that was to only come into the future. Luke nodded to this, "Then we'll just have to hurry up and get him." Luke nodded again and gave another smile, recovering from his mental power,

"Okay! Guy you take that side of the ship and I'll take this side!" Guy nodded and saluted the redhead.

"Yes sir Mr. Fabre sir!"

"Carry on!" Luke mocked a captain's voice, saluting the older teenager off and Luke laughed as he went to his side that he assigned himself to. Hm...He just has to keep reminding himself. He was from the future, he was going to prevent it, and everything was going to be okay! A shame Luke didn't know how naive his thinkings were, in fact if Asch knew what he was thinking he would hit Luke upon the hit and yell at him for being stupid. But...it was a part of his charm.

------------------------------

Asch felt incredibly irritated, and that was saying something. Asch had once sorted out his moods because of an extreme boredom and lack of anything to do. Asch varied his moods to Normal, calm, irritated, pissed off, and I'm going to kill you if you say another word. But now...even though he had all these moods sorted out from the future, he decided to just use them again. Asch was rightly irritated, he felt like a stupid damsel in distress who couldn't do anything but sit in her tower all day weaving her hair. Asch then rolled his eyes at his own comparison to an old fairytale.

Asch stared at his door, hearing a knock on it and he narrowed his eyes as Dist invited himself in a gallivant mood. Asch was glad he was suffering the future, he was one of the most annoying of the God Generals. Though he didn't compare to Sync, Asch supposed...glad that the replica hadn't been born yet.

"Good evening Asch." Asch glared at the man, feeling his irritation grow as the white-haired fonist walked towards his bed.

"Is there something you need?" Trash, Asch wanted to add but wasn't in the mood to get over powered by pathetic excuse for a man.

"No not at all, I just wanted to invite you down to eat dinner tonight."

"No thanks." Asch rightly rejected said invitation and turned in his bed to get in a more comfortable position for sleep. Dist twitched at the young teen's rejection and growled beneath his breath. What a brat!

"Very well." Asch hadn't been eating lately though and Dist was sure that Van would _kill_ him if Asch had started to become malnourished. Dist exited the room, thinking of methods to force the boy to eat. Hm...perhaps a conversation with the Fon Master would do something, or introducing him to that wild-beast girl, whatever her name was.

Asch frowned to himself again, feeling the irritation not going down. Why couldn't he just rush out and beat the crap out of anyone who came his way!? He had his basic starting skills and AD skills! He could surprise them with a massive improvement of strength and strategy! Asch then gave a groan to himself, what the hell? Did that replica truly ruin his mind so much that he was starting to _think_ like him? How idiotic!

But...Asch would never admit it out loud, but he slightly missed Luke. Stupid annoying Luke who was an idiot that needed to be taught a goddamn lesson! Asch made a grab to his head from the sudden headache of just thinking of his 'other self'. Only Luke could make him have such a headache! Augh, he was so annoying! But if it weren't for Luke, Asch wouldn't even be feeling this annoyed. Asch recalled for a moment of his monotonous life of training and listening to Van like some god of the world. If it wasn't for Luke...

Asch jumped off from his bed, giving off a random scream that sounded like a temper tantrum to some. He couldn't help it, he was oversurging with emotions he hadn't had for a long time! When they were in the future, Luke had control of the body, Luke had control over most of the emotions! Being 'dead' was so much easier then being alive! Asch then growled at the room loudly, feeling light anger over the fact that there were no windows to spy on the life of normal human beings.

Asch had nearly forgotten what this stage of his life had been like, and now he had to relive through it! He swore, if he ever got his hands on Luke again, he would strangle the idiot! The redhead original had no idea how they were sent to the past, and he had no idea what Lorelei was up to, because he was sure it was _his_ fault!

He felt like a little kid again, a stupid little kid who was frustrated and wanted to know answers. The original particularly did not like feeling like a little kid and stamped around his room impatiently. What else was he to do? Asch didn't want to think, he wanted to _**do**_ something! Where was Luke when you needed that idiot!?

As soon as the chance arose, he would go to Choral Castle and get this damn fon slot seal open, because it was annoying not being able to talk to the annoying replica! Asch then went back to his bed, feeling tired on his mind, and coming up with plans was stupid and troublesome. However before he fell asleep, Asch whispered,

"Get here soon you stupid replica."

_**End Chapter II**_

"I suppose this is what one would call a filler chapter...I guess. Just more about the situation and stuff...I don't think I wrote Asch right..." I sigh and bow my head humbly.  
"M-chan."   
"Yes?"  
"Say the disclaimer and shit."   
"Such language A."  
"Shut up D, not in the mood."  
"Of course darling." I sweatdrop,   
"So...uhh...I still do not own ToA and I shall see you next Wednesday for another update."

_**Thanks To.**_

_killerbunbun_ ("How indeed? Thanks for the review.")

_Harada Risa_ ("Hah, thank you for the compliment. I'm actually a pretty bad writer. Especially with little typos like that, thanks for pointing it out. I would have never noticed until to late...hahaha...ha..." I stare off into the distance uneasily.)

_Silence_ ("Really? Thank you very much. I hope this chapter helps make you just as happy and stuff.")

_Meimi no Kage_ ("See, I had thought I had edited that (I tend to switch editing on my file manager because I work with computers a lot) so I didn't even know. Forgive me and thank you pointing it out immediately, and thank you again for pointing out my stupid move on the fact that I accidentally replaced the prologue with the first chapter. I guess that's part of what makes you so awesome. Anyway, thanks again. I'm such a fangirl...")

_LatyfeSurLeSora_ ("It wasn't as soon as I had originally promised but...well, here we go..."

_Chaotic Blades_ ("Well anything's possible in this fanfic! Any scenario could be possible because it IS the past! You know, time paradoxes and all that. Well I hope this chapter pleased you, though it probably didn't, knowing my luck. Hahaha.")


	4. Chapter III

_**Chapter III** _

_"I don't know why we are here, but I'm pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves."  
-Ludwig Wittgenstein_

Guy grunted as he was forced down on the ground of the palace floors and tried his best not to glare defiantly at the soldiers who had captured them.

"Hm...I probably should have thought to ask the captain where we were going sooner..." Luke whispered from beside the blonde. Damn, this was bad. Luke couldn't help but feel the most stupid he had ever been in his entire lifetime (excluding the time when he didn't know what Van's name meant). This was bad. Luke took a look over at Anise who was looking down at the ground low with a mean look on her face. Luke didn't know exactly what the look meant, but he could feel it wasn't a good thing.

"So you're the young heir who ran away, huh?" Luke looked up at the voice and saw a younger Peony and Luke raked his mind, was the emperor supposed to be here? Luke knew Jade was 'old' and Peony was around that age, but Luke for the life of him couldn't recall if Peony should be hiding out in Keterburg or be here. Why was that bothering him anyway? It's not like Luke always paid attention to little details before, so why...?

"What are you talking about?" Anise said brashly to the king, "This guy? Heir? He's just a mercenary I hired! So is the other guy!" The guards seemed alarmed by this information but Peony just smiled.

"Oh is that so?" Guy could tell by the tone of his voice he wasn't falling for it. But there was something off from his tone of voice, but Guy couldn't exactly match it to anything. "Hmm...I do suppose you have _proof_ with identification?"

"Yes I do!" Anise stood up, brushing back one of the guard's spears with slight anger and started to search her breastplate. Luke and Guy both looked away as the girl kept searching for 'identification' and came up with none, predictably. Anise then heaved a fake sigh, and Luke finally knew what she was doing. "Oh no...I must have lost it after all those monster fights! Oh no...I'm so sorry!" Anise gave a fake sob, covering her face to pretend her facade was real. Luke felt that he could almost choke from Anise's performance. Choke from laughter that is, but the guards seemed moved and so did the king. Ugh, if only they knew the gald greedy girl...

"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay," Luke felt his stomach groan from holding back laughter and kept his face directly to the ground so he wouldn't have to witness Peony's comforting the nine-year-old girl who was faking her cries.

"I-I-I'm really sorry! I-I-I," Luke had to admit though, she was really good at faking the trembles of the mouth that would come out if you spoke sentences during a serious cry...not that Luke would know or anything. "I'm just so sick and tired," insert big breath, "I've been on this quest for so long! I just want to see my mommy and daddy again!"

"What quest, child?" One of the guards asked while one of the other guards went off to get a washcloth. Anise must have looked up because the Luke heard a slight groan from Guy and that could only mean that she really was faking real tears. If Anise was this good of an actor, how come she never did that before? Then again, she came awfully close when she wanted to gamble in the Keterburg casino...

"I-I-I'm going to become a Fon Master Guardian, and I needed a little help, so I hired these two! They've been with me the last half year!"

"Is that true?"

"Yes sire." Guy immediately replied, not wanting Luke to maybe end up getting them in more trouble. Peony gave a humph, and Guy watched closely to see that he wasn't extremely moved by the girl's display.

"Very well. Then you shouldn't argue with staying here until a Kimlascan soldier comes and verifies your identification." Anise seemed stunned for a moment and Luke sighed. Damn it.

"But...I only have to read one more stone, then I can go home!"

"I'm sorry little princess," Peony complimented, "but I wouldn't want to let you go if you were lying to me." Anise gave a pathetic look but Peony turned around and the soldiers stood the two teenagers up and guided all three of them to a room. Once they were in the room Anise gave a huge kick to her newest bed.

"DAMMIT! I thought for sure they'd fall for that!"

"That was fake!?" Guy asked with surprise and Luke sat down on his bed to look around the room. It was a room equipped with approximately five beds, and two windows, that were both from the second floor window. Though Luke wasn't scared of a measly second floor drop, but he was afraid of the guards that stood beneath the drop.

"Yeah, I'm pretty good at it, aren't I?" Guy stared at the dark-haired girl with amazement, he never thought a nine-year-old could have so much potential to become an actor.

"Yeah!" Guy admitted to the girl and Luke frowned, looking around some more. There had to be some way they could escape, he didn't want to be around for the time came when a soldier came about to identify him. Luke really needed to dye his hair or something, he thought to himself but then continued to look around.

"I don't think you should bother." Anise grumpily put, sitting on her bed now to look at the rapid searching redhead. "This _is_ the capital, I'm pretty sure if they have us in a room like this, it's going to be surrounded by security."

"True...but there's usually a trick door somewhere."

"Seriously?" Anise asked, not knowing any layouts of any sort of castle or mansions, as this had been her first visit to one. The closest thing that she had been into was a castle was the Daath cathedral, but she wasn't sure if that counted.

"Usually anyway." Luke commented, scouring the room but failing to find what he wanted. This was just wonderful.

"Any luck?" Guy asked after Luke spent what seemed like thirty minutes looking. Luke shook his head and groaned loudly, sitting on his bed with a loud thunk, taking his head into his hand and concentrated. The other two stared at him, but then Anise moved in her bed to get comfortable to 'rest her eyes'. Guy looked at his empty side as they had taken all of their weapons (except Anise's Tokunaga and only because Anise pleaded 'I need my teddy-bear to sleep at night!') and sighed, knowing to give in. Why was Luke so adamant against it though? He understood about the part of needing to get to the 'original' Luke called him sometimes, but he couldn't exactly get why it was so important. The blonde really wanted to ask but Luke seemed to get so snappy about the subject of the future.

"We should just probably rest for tonight." Anise said in a tired voice, looking like she was asleep already. Guy nodded at this idea and looked over to Luke, who looked like he was attempting to come up with a plan but was having too much trouble with it.

"That's a good idea Anise." Guy said lightly, hoping that Luke would get the message, but the redhead refused and started to play with his fingers on the sheets as though it was going to help formulate a plan. Guy gave a sigh and stood up and hit Luke to the head.

"OW!" Luke's hands immediately flung to his new injury and the boy gave a light glare to his guardian, "What was that for?"

"Luke you shouldn't have to worry about something you have no control over." Luke seemed to pause at those words and gave a loud sigh in reply. Guy waited for an answer but Luke then scooted into the sheets of the bed and almost looked like he did when he first came back from the kidnapping. A little kid who needed to be tucked into bed.

"Okay, fine! Fine! You didn't have to hit me!"

"It was the only thing I could think of to get through that thick head of yours."

"Shut up." Anise and Luke's voices melded together and the three shared a tired laugh over it. Anise then closed her eyes, tired after a long day and too much fake crying. Luke also rested his eyes, still looking like a little kid with a sheet out of place. Guy was the last one to fall asleep, but he looked over the room carefully and couldn't help but feel a twinge of an unknown feeling twitch in his body.

In the morning, Anise was the first one up and she stared over at her two companions with a contemplative stare. Should she tell Mohs about them? Anise remembered lightly before she headed off that Mohs told her to tell her anything she found interesting from her journey. Anise didn't have to send any letter as she hadn't found anything that seemed out of place or interesting. That was until she saw these two however. She wasn't going to say she knew something was different from Luke the moment she set eyes upon him, after all, that was just something a romantic would say. But after spending three days with the two, Anise just _knew_ something was _off_ with the redhead teenager and his blonde guardian. Yeah, there was Guy's fear of women, that was strange, but there didn't seem to be anything else that was strange about him.

But Luke...Luke...Anise really didn't know why, and one of the first things she was taught as an oracle knight was to trust your instincts or the orders of your superior, and that was telling Anise that there was something strange about Luke. Anise wanted to make a report about it, that Luke could somehow come back from what should have been a possible unconscious death, that Luke seemed to know more then he let on, but Anise somehow also didn't want to.

The girl didn't want to say she was impressionable, but...it had been ages since she had hanged out with semi-normal human beings. The closest person and female to her age was that dreadful beast girl who was rumored to have actually bit Fon Master Ion. Anise couldn't exactly remember her name, nor did she really want to. Anise had an obligation to Mohs to fill out a letter and tell him of her newest adventures...Anise bit her lip, but why? Why should she?

That damned debt...why were her parents so careless with their money? It could make Anise cry if she really thought about it, but she forced herself to deal with it. This was no big deal, just fill out a letter. It's not like it'd be important or anything...Anise sighed and stood from her bed to knock at the door and request a piece of paper and pen to write a letter to her 'parents'. Being the sweet little girl she was, the guards gave into her request and she made her letter to look exactly like she said it was. A letter to her parents, but with the notes that Mohs would be able to identify that it was to him.

There, it was sent off now. No big deal, really...but why did she feel like it was? Anise shook her head and brushed back her curls, giggling slightly to herself as she could feel her hair growing longer. Anise used to have really long hair as a younger child, but she had to get it cut off when she joined in the oracle knights, but that was okay. As long as it was growing back. The nine-year-old had no time to be worrying about those sort of things!

"Luke, wake up." Anise shook the redhead, who groaned and hit her on the face sleepily and fell back to sleep. Anise glared at him with an annoyed stare but then went over to Guy, who was extremely easy to wake up. "Wake up Luke."

"Y-Y-Yes ma'am!" Anise rolled her eyes slightly, getting mildly irritated by Guy's phobia. What a stupid thing to be afraid of! Women were mostly docile creatures and there really was no reason to fear them if you were a guy! If Guy was girl on the other hand...Guy pushed Luke's shoulder to wake up him, only to get hit to the face just like Anise was. Guy sighed and Anise blinked as Guy lifted the boy easily overhead and Guy threw the redhead to another unoccupied bed. Luke's reaction was immediate, a scream and a loud thud with a slight SPROING from the bed's springs. Luke ended up flying on the other side of the bed unto the ground and he groaned.

"Guuuuyyy..."

"Sorry man, you wouldn't wake up."

"It's always the same, I never get enough sleep." Luke grumbled, his head popping from the side he fell and a hand on his forehead. Luke then looked over to Anise with half-lidded eyes, "Any news?"

"Don't think so." Luke groaned and sank back down. Guy seemed to roll his eyes, at least this part of Luke hadn't really changed. Luke treasured his sleep like an old cat in the sunshine.

"Come on, get up!" Guy yelled, walking over to the fallen Luke and giving him a light kick to his foot. Luke kicked back and turned as though it would deflect the damage already done. Guy looked over at the Fon guardian in training and requested, "Hey Anise, can you ask for a pail of cold water?"

"Nonononono! Wait! I'll get up!" Luke moaned like a pitiful baby and forced himself up with the help of the beds on his sides. Guy gave a light smirk and Luke gave a dirty glare with his messed up hair in his eyes. Anise gave a light giggle, as the glare had no effect on the blonde whatsoever. "Guy, why do you have to be so mean?"

"Why must you be so difficult to wake up?" Anise had partly witnessed this the previous mornings but she had been in and out, dealing with the old rantings of the blacksmith who had taken a liking to the dark haired girl. So now that she was watching it, Anise definitely _knew_ there was something strange about these two.

"I'm only difficult because you make it that way."

"Uh-huh, sure." Anise shifted from her spot and looked over at the older boys as Luke in a fussy manner tried to straighten his hair out (that was one of the things Luke was particular about, why Anise wasn't even sure if she wanted to know). Humph, another day in this 'dungeon' and she knew she couldn't think of anything to escape.

"There has to be a way out." Luke started suddenly, taking another look around the room and Guy gave a sigh.

"Why don't we just bust our way through?" The only girl asked, blinking as she recalled the brashness of their escape last time. Luke frowned and Guy blinked, as though seeing something that the dark-haired girl couldn't.

"The relations between Kimlasca and Malkuth aren't exactly the best. If I was to run away and the guards actually had a chance to fight with us, Malkuth would be to blame for letting me go. I don't want to cause that kind of annoying diplomatic disaster." Guy had been surprised, he didn't know that this Luke knew about the politics that governed the lands. Another thing to add to the different Luke.

"So if we ended up escaping from the bedroom..."

"Then it's a magic act. Or so I hope. Maybe His Majesty would come up with something, he's clever like that." Luke shifted a small little bookcase that he didn't even notice because of the dark lighting. Hmm...nope, no way out through that. Luke turned to the other side of the wall and the two nodded to each other and started to help out, though staying far away from each other. Anise blinked as she found a really small wall that was slightly movable.

"Luke, over here." She addressed the boy from the other side and he came to her, smiling honestly as he pushed it through. The wall collapsed to the side and it was then Luke cast a frown. It wasn't a way out, but rather a hiding spot. A rather, _small_ hiding spot. Luke risked a glance over at Guy who had came to his side at their new discovery. Luke's voice then forced itself to a whisper,

"We'll have to hide in here until the guards realize we're gone."

"I see, that way we can escape while they go searching for us."

"But wouldn't His Majesty know we're in here?" Anise asked in the same whisperish tone,

"If he put us in here, he's probably forgotten about this hiding spot." Guy answered the question, frowning at the thought of being stored so close with a girl. Sometimes his phobia was completely bothersome. Luke nodded at Guy's response and pointed Anise to go in first, which Luke followed after and Guy last. Guy found the lever roughly in the dark and pulled the wall back into place and they all sat and waited.

It almost seemed like hours, and that was when Luke wondered what the time was that Guy had decided to wake him up. Let's see...breakfast times were usually pretty early/late, so he would assume that one of the guards would come and either give them food, or invite them to breakfast. But Luke didn't really know Peony's sleeping schedule, so he could be completely wrong. The redhead squinted through the darkness to see Guy trembling just slightly. Well he had reason, Anise's leg was laid out and almost touching him. More time passed and it wasn't for a few more minutes when they heard a slight crash to the ground. Ah, so they had brought food.

"THEY'VE ESCAPED!" Though the trio inside their cramped space couldn't quite hear the shuffling or the murmur that went outside of their room, they all knew that there was a slight panic escaping throughout the castle walls. Guy waited for a few more minutes to go by before he opened the wall again through the use of the lever he had found earlier. Guy was inwardly impressed by the mechanics of the wall but rapidly pushed himself out, helping Luke out, who helped Anise out of the dark pit. Luke rushed towards the window and opted Anise to go first, who threw down her doll as it crashed on the ground with its transforming ability. Anise jumped on it, and turned it little again for stealth procedures while Guy and Luke followed with light thumps to the ground. The three then ran through the shadows the pillars of the castle offered and made their way out of the city.

The three made it out into the plains, all breathing uneasily as they had to keep their breath to themselves running in and out of buildings just to make sure they weren't caught.

"W...Well, what now?" Anise asked, catching her breath successfully. Guy stood straight up and looked back at the seemingly retreating Grand Chokmah and looked around to the wild plains they were caught in.

"Hide and seek." Luke numbly said, remembering faintly that they had to go through a forest that may or may not be guarded. Luke smirked to himself though, he was _really_ good at hide and seek. Anise blinked and smiled faintly, Luke could also remember that she enjoyed a game of hide and seek. Guy rose his eyebrow at the two who associated each other with their facial gestures.

"Hide and what?"

"Hide and seek." Luke pointed towards the forest ahead of them, "I'm pretty sure there will be guards there that haven't been alerted yet. There's a lot of trees we can hide behind."

"Yeah but the guards aren't going to move from their spots." Luke frowned, oh crap...Mieu. He had completely forgotten about the annoying furball, Mieu was the one who had helped the group travel last time. Though Luke wasn't even sure the furball was _alive_ much less equipped with the sorcerer's ring. Craaaap.

"We'll just throw some rocks in some direction or something." Anise suggested, thinking of diversions to get through the forest she had yet seen. Luke looked troubled, as though they would _need_ that distraction. But why? A forest was a forest, surrounded by trees and shadows that could easily be crept in.

"Yeah, that's the best we can do for now." Luke agreed and Guy gave a sigh, starring again at his empty side, he really wished they could have escaped with their weapons.

"What are we going to do if we bump into some soldiers?"

"Rely on Anise." Luke answered straightforward and started to move carefully to the forest's entrance. There was one guard waiting outside of it, and Anise demonstrated her throwing abilities but hit the soldier in the head with an abruptly huge rock. The two teenagers stared at the young girl with a blank stare, who giggled,

"Whoops."

"Nevermind, let's go. It should be a little easier, but we don't want to knock them all out Anise."

"Yeah, alerting them we went this way would be a very bad thing."

"I know that!" Anise hissed at Guy, who was talking a little down to her. Guy sighed as the trio started to sneak around the forest. It took even longer to get through the forest then the city, but it was helpful that Luke faintly remembered some of the geography of the area. They even found a sword for Guy to hold unto because the blonde was still anxiously looking to his side in anxiety. Luke was the only one who was unarmed, but he had no problem with that. The forest journey ended with Anise throwing another huge rock at the end's entrance, knocking the guard out on purpose with a smug smirk on her face.

"Anise..."

"Let's go!" She ignored the skeptic stares and they ran out from the forest, being free from the darkness but far from where they wanted to be.

"If we go any further we'll just end up closer to Kimlasca territory and farther from Daath." Luke didn't need that reminder, but nodded to Guy's comment and frowned.

"...Hey, while we're here, can I go look at the last stone?" The two turned to the guardian in training and blinked.

"What?"

"It's in the area...So it'd be nice to finish my quest, you know?"

"You were serious about there being a stone in the area?"

"Of course! I know where they all are!" Anise nodded, and looked around the plains, then pulled out a map from the pockets of her suit. She pulled out one that was specifically labeled 'Malkuth' and pointed to a circled part of the map. "This is the last one that I need to see."

"Whoa...It isn't that far, we could do it." Luke commented cheerfully, as he couldn't help but think of helping Anise into the occupation of the future.

"But shouldn't we be focusing on getting out of here?" Anise frowned at Guy's fact then gave an overdramatic sigh,

"Oh I suppose we should."

"Oh wait..." Guy started but Anise continued, laughing maniacally inside her mind,

"No, you're right. I'm not important compared to Luke, we should hurry and run to a near port."

"I didn't mean-"

"Anise, it's okay. We can go." Luke just finished, not wanting to see Guy suffer anymore. Anise turned and gave the two a huge smile,

"Great! Let's go!" She started to lead the way and Guy groaned,

"Women are silly, right?"

"Right..." Guy moaned out and followed the confident girl. It was hard to deny a request from such a cute looking nine-year-old. Despite Anise's comments about how close it was, it didn't seem that close at all, especially when they reached their destination as the sun started to set. One thing was for sure in Guy's mind, if the palace's soldiers hadn't followed them, then they weren't considering the stone as one of their destinations. Or it was possible they didn't even know about the stone's location themselves, which Guy found odd in his mind because he was sure there was a war that was fought over the stones a long time ago. Oh well. They made it and collapsed near the stone's shadow in comfort,

"I'll make some rice balls," Luke said, getting up after a few moments of rest to gather the materials for the quick and easy to eat meal. Guy nodded and stared as Anise squinted at the stone, reading it carefully into her mind.

"Why are you so determined to be a Fon master guardian?" Guy asked in genuine curiosity. Anise blinked at the question and finished reading a line and turning to the blonde swordsman. Anise had never really thought about it before, she supposed it was because her parents debt to Mohs as the man insisted she become an oracle knight. A Fon master guardian would be closer to the Fon master, and that would...would what? Where had Anise got the thought of becoming a Fon master guardian? She couldn't remember.

"I guess it's because it's what I want to be." Anise made something up, shrugging over to Guy and giving the blonde a light smile. "What about you? Why are you escorting an important figurehead?"

"He's my friend." Guy answered easily, and Luke felt a slight silence overcome his mouth as he had arrived with wood materials. It never stopped amazing Luke to hear those words, to hear the fact that someone considered him as a friend. Luke remembered Asch telling him to get over that one moment when he felt abandoned just because he was a stupid brat over killing thousands. It was hard to describe, it was just something that was hard to get over, and Luke really didn't know why. But he listened carefully as Anise asked,

"Your friend?"

"Yup. He's a complete idiot, and he needs my help, because he's my idiot best friend."

"How did you get to be friends with him?"

"Well that's a long story-" Guy started but Luke felt that was when he should walk in, feeling a little lighter.

"Here's the wood." Luke cheerfully put, placing them on the ground and Guy helped put them in a proper camping position.

"Oh good, it was getting hard to read the stone." Anise admitted, letting the men do the work as she traced the words on the stone with her hand. Something felt strange about it for a moment and Anise frowned, as the fire came on with a very dimming effect. Hm...

"Come on and eat Anise, you can read after a full stomach." Guy suggested the girl and she nodded dimly, sitting next to Luke and taking a huge bite from his rice balls. She was actually surprised that the boy knew how to make it, as she had assumed most higher-ups had their own cooks. It wasn't the _best_ thing she tasted, but she could live with it. "Not bad Luke, you've been improving!" Guy said, taking another small bite into his rice ball. _'This was an improvement?'_ Anise thought.

"Eh...I used to be so good at making these..." Luke admitted sadly, it seemed his cooking knowledge that he had slaved over learning (without anyone watching him) had escaped him. How sad...Though he knew that no matter what he did he could never compare to Anise's genius cooking.

"Huh? Really?" Guy asked and Anise rose an eyebrow at the question. Something was off about this conversation, "How could you screw up on a rice ball, Luke?"

"I just forgot how to make them, okay? It's been a while!" Luke answered back with a frustrated blush. Anise smiled, the strange thing about the conversation away from her mind. These two were very funny.

"Haha, sorry Luke, it just seems silly to forget how to make rice balls."

"At least I managed to make them this time! Next time I'll give you the rotten looking one instead of throwing it out!" Luke yelled at him childishly and Guy just laughed. It's weird watching them associate with each other, Anise thought. Not a bad thing, just...weird. Anise finished her last rice ball of the night and turned back to the stone, only to freeze in horror as she could see shadows casting over it from the top.

"...What the hell is that?" Anise whispered, staring at the giant looking octopus drenching its body all over the stone from the top. Anise hadn't noticed it because she had began reading from the bottom. How the hell was this thing here in the first place!? There were no nearby rivers or anything of the sort, and why was it staring down at Anise like she was a tasty morsel? At Anise's words the other two looked up and stared in the same shocked manner.

"Anise...try to back up...slowly..." Guy whispered, not bothering to see Luke's equally surprised reaction. Luke had never seen anything like it in his life. It was very huge, to be able to live comfortably on the stone and it had a pinkish hue to its shell. Anise nodded slowly and started to take a few steps back, but screamed as a slimy hand reached and wrapped around her fiercely. Tokunaga didn't need to hear the scream to know his owner was in trouble and crawled upwards to the enemy and started bashing him at the side. Guy also didn't need to hear the scream to pull out his sword and struggle up on the rock. Luke stared around carefully as he had no weapon like Guy did.

Guy made it up on the stone as the thing fell because it was hit furiously in the eye by the small plush Tokunaga. Anise followed and she yelled as it started crushing her body. Guy cursed, jumping after it and giving it a slash to the huge head, but jumped off as it did nothing. Luke came around the corner with wood lit on fire and threw it to the body, which screeched in fear and Anise's yell overcame its own as a crush was hearable. Guy turned his sword and body to yell,

_"DEMON FANG!_" The tentacle holding Anise fell to the ground with Anise with it, who groaned in pain and Luke stared terrified as the cut limb regrew at an alarming rate. What the hell was this thing!?

_"Flame Burst!_" Luke froze and turned as the creature yelled in a fury from the new damage done to his body, extremely weak against the fire artes. Luke stared and found himself frozen under the red-eyed gaze of someone who he was only familiar with from the future.

The Necromancer...

------------------------------

Jade felt his mind tingle, which was...well what would most call 'odd'. Jade stared from his room in the carrier that had so graciously given to him and frowned a bit. How strange, but no matter, he was to be at Daath soon.

"You still haven't told me what you think of these new memories of mine." Guy said to the blonde-haired general. Jade looked at the blonde who had barely woken up in time to accompany him on the carrier to Daath.

"Why Guy, that is because I still have no answer to give to your question." Guy stared blankly at the man and frowned as he kept smiling his oh so pleasant smile. The blonde adult then sighed, holding his head and frowned. It was really strange, news about a future Luke and a younger him wrought in confusion. Battles and escaping soldiers because Luke didn't want to get caught, because he had to save Asch. But the strange thing was, Guy felt as though all of his other memories were starting to rewrite themselves.

"Well what about the whole Luke from the future thing?" Jade gave a dismissal shrug, not sure how answer the other's question. "Don't you find that just really strange?"

"I do," Jade admitted, "But I want to compare to Anise's memory changes before worrying about it." Jade casually committed, moving a little from his position.

"Oh...right. I forgot." Guy admitted folding his hands together with a contemplative look. "So Anise has the same kind of memories."

"I suspect," Jade replied, looking down at the letter once again (with the xoxoxoxo smeared) and Anise hadn't gone into extreme detail but she had indeed said that she had new memories. Jade felt that strange tingle in his mind again but ignored it, looking over to his companion at the moment, "Tell me again exactly what you remember," It might help to hear the details again, maybe. Jade wasn't optimistic about it. Guy nodded and began commenting about his new memories of Luke being able to do abilities that seemed beyond his experience, of a secretive nature that pertained to the future (and Guy knew now that it had to do with Van and all the other little details about the Sephiroth and replicas). Guy continued with the new comment about meeting a strange nine-year-old by the birthright of Anise and her moving doll, but she didn't seem different except a little weaker.

"And now since I've woken up, all I keep seeing is new memories as our journey happens, but I don't even know what happens."

"Hum..."

"Did you think up something new?"

"No not at all, I was just thinking how nice it would be to have some of Anise's stew when we reached Daath." Guy gave Jade a mismatched look but understood that it was just Jade's way of...being Jade. Nothing he could do about that, but he couldn't help but make the light reply,

"Yeah...it'll be really nice. I bet she's grown to be a more beautiful woman in the past year."

"Oh my Guy, I had never taken you to be that sort of person."

"Shut up Jade." Jade laughed as a blush came to Guy's cheeks at the comment Jade had made as a perverted advance.

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The trio now sat by the fireside with a new accomplice, one whom Luke kept shooting gazes back at. Anise's bones were bruised and she was currently wrapping bandages around her body with light flinches as she insisted that she could do it by herself. Anise had a few apple gels to absorb part of the pain, but it wasn't enough to make it go away completely.

"So...you're...Jade," Guy started, blinking as Luke kept his eyes on the man in a suspicious like manner.

"Yes." Jade simply answered, though spoke no more as he started sipping from a bottle he pulled out from his own backpack.

"What are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?" Anise asked brashly, not in the best mood after having been crushed by a strange sea creature, which was currently lying dead on the other side of the stone.

"I could ask the very same of you three." Jade replied lightly, staring at the three and Luke _knew_ the smart man already knew who he really was. Luke had given him a fake name (Asch)(As he couldn't think up anything else at the time), but Luke knew just like in the future, Jade knew immediately just from the looks of born redhead who he was. Luke groaned in his mind, he _really_ needed to dye his hair or something.

"Finishing my journey," Anise gave the blonde man her reply. Luke then looked over at Jade, the man didn't change as drastically as Anise or Guy had, in fact, the boy could tell that the man was still extremely powerful and the only difference between this Jade and future Jade was how long Jade's hair was. It looked very strange to see a Jade who didn't have hair looking like it was flouting on his shoulders, but that really was the only difference.

"Hm, one could say I was finishing my own training." Luke's ears peeked up at this but then the thought of 'training' and 'Jade' came into mind and he frowned at the thought. Jade got the title Necromancer for a reason...Maybe there were bodies lying around here or something, that thought gave Luke the creeps.

"Training? For what?" The bright blonde asked curiously and Jade just stared over with a smile. Guy couldn't help but think, _'Damn I can't tell what this guy is thinking...'_

"Oh nothing special." Jade assured the trio and Luke frowned again, just thinking of the corpses that could have been dug up from around here. Just the thought of it was giving him the creeps! Luke never liked thinking badly about Jade, because the man did his best with the lack of emotions he had, but everyone once in a while his mind would remind him about the frightening fact of the experiments of the glasses-wearing man.

"If you say so," Guy replied then looked back to the smoldering corpse that was the strange octopus and back at the fonon master, "You don't look like you need much training."

"Quite the contrary, I'm still young, I always have more to learn." Luke almost felt like laughing because of the comparison of Jade saying he was so old after all in the future.

"I guess..." The only girl in the whole group tightened her binds and grunted, almost cursing to herself once again that she was relatively useless in this battle. It was so stupid!

"L...Asch, you haven't spoken all night, is something wrong?" Guy asked after a light timid break from all their questions, noticing how quiet Luke was for the moment.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired." Luke admitted, staring carefully at the genius across the fire. Jade was paying no attention to any particular thing, and Luke couldn't help but wonder if he was part of the Malkuth army or not. It didn't seem like Jade knew about the fact that Luke had escaped from the palace, and judging from the worn out way his clothes were, he had been out here for a couple of days.

"You should rest then, we'll have a big deal ahead of us tomorrow." Guy spoke to the tired teen happily. They were in the company of someone who could keep them safe if there was another one of those strange octopus creatures around.

"Okay, that sounds like a good idea." Luke said back and looked over at Anise in a slightly worried manner. Now that he thought about it, was this when Anise originally met Jade? If that was true then the strange octopus thing had attacked Anise back then too? It was all too confusing, and Luke didn't really want to think about it right now. "Anise, do you want to borrow my item bag to sleep on for tonight?" Anise nodded,

"Yeah thanks...Asch." She hesitated, not used to the disguised name because they hadn't even discussed about Luke getting a new name so it was strange. Luke nodded and gave Anise his item bag, letting the girl rest carefully with a curve for balance on her bruised ribs.

"Good night you three," Luke said, laying himself carefully, though hoping that Jade wouldn't end up dragging them back to Grand Chokmah or something to that manner while he was asleep. Luke knew he slept harder then a stone cliff rock, and Luke wanted to trust his instincts.

"Night." Anise replied back to Luke's bidding and moved around a bit to fall asleep comfortably. The last one's awake stared carefully around and bid each other their own goodnights, keeping an eye out to what would come soon.

_**End Chapter III**_

I stare pathetically at the chapter then at the readers, "I'm sorry it's a little later then I promised. I got busy and couldn't type the chapter up and lost track of time..." I bow over and over again, almost crying.  
"Quit apologizing, it makes you seem pathetic."  
"Not in a good mood again A-san?"   
"Nope."  
"Right..." I nod again and look at all of you again,  
"Thanks for reading. I do not own TotA. Sorry again that the chapter is a little later and that it's a little shorter then the previous chapter...and sorry for no word from the rest of everyone, it's to build up mystery and stuff..."   
"M-chan..."  
"Right, right, sorry."

_**Thanks To.**_

_Sieg15_ ("That's very flattering, thank you. I hope this story turns out good in your opinion.")

_Ana Paula92_ ("I agree...sadly he won't...not until the next two chapters or something. Depends. Anyway, thanks for the review.")

_killerbunbun_ ("Well...this may be just my opinion but those kind of emotions don't just _away_. Yeah, Luke may say that he thinks that they're equal, but I guess that's just my opinion. Inferiority complexes...are...well complex. But you may be right, and I'm sorry if you are." I bow, "Sorry.") Harada Risa ("I think I found a few typos last chapter, but I can't remember, and I'm trying to improve." I bow, "Thanks.")

_LatyfeSurLeSora_ ("Yup, just from knowing the future, you can change it. Asch got the same ability indeed...though he can't do much at the moment." I laugh uneasily, "Thanks for the review.")

_Meimi no Kage_ ("You have no idea how much that relieves me, because I had thought that I actually wrote him completely out of character, with just a _little_ hint of him. But I'm glad that my reasoning was good." I bow once again, "Thank you so much, your compliment makes me incredibly happy."

_cherryblossoms24_ ("Tear they won't see for awhile, but they will eventually. Mieu...well like the chapter said, Luke isn't even sure he's born at the moment, so who knows? Hahaha")

_Chaotic Blades_ ("...Well that _is_ true...that won't happen." I laugh, "But it would be an amusing thing to happen to the story if it did." I laugh again then smile, "Hmmm, what's going to happen with Van indeed?")


	5. Chapter IV

**_Chapter IV_**

_"The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds, and the pessimist fears this is true."   
-James Branch Cabell_

The one who was the first to wake up in the morning was surprisingly the newcomer, but it wasn't really in the morning when his mind stirred his body about. Jade was often known as an 'early riser' from the words of his sister, no matter the terrain or temperature, he was a 'monster' who had a set time in his mind to utilize most of his hours. Though if Jade had wanted to, he could have slept a little longer, but he had always found it fascinating to wake up extremely early. After all, waking so early had its advantages. The man first moved up, feeling a light creak to his bones from sleeping on the grassy plains, and cast a glance into the darkness over to the creature that had been slain the night before. 

If Jade had any guess to it, it was some sort of mutant that had spawned in from the ocean's surface and had made its way to the fallen fonstone in the area. However Jade was no master at monsters, nor was he that particularly interested in the beast kind. The dark-haired man then spared a bored glance over at the trio who had comfortably made themselves his companions. 

They weren't anything spectacular (though the dark-haired girl's 'weapon' semi-interested him), and they were all just very young and obviously wrapped around emotions that Jade would never really comprehend. However, it did vaguely interest him that a noble was out, far away from his own country, and traveling incredibly light. Oh of course Jade _knew_ that it was a noble reigning from the Kimlasca side of the world, after all, who hadn't heard of the highest hierarchy on that side always being born with miraculous red hair. Jade also knew that the teenager was lying about who he was really with the hint of hesitation in his tone when they had introduced each other. 

What in the world was a noble doing in a territory that would be considered hostile towards his own person? Jade had to admit inwardly that it actually interested him a little to search for the answer. The boy who called himself Asch moved a little in his sleep uneasily and stood up sleepily but looked a little alarmed for a moment. 

"Jade!" The boy looked at him with mild surprise for a moment then peered around his surroundings and held his head for a moment. Amusing. 

"Yes?" Jade answered, putting his usual facade as to not alarm the 'youngster'. The redhead looked at the man for a moment, however looking like he had a huge abrupt headache, 

"...Nothing." He had seemed to be concentrating on dividing his attention into two separate parts. To what, Jade wasn't exactly sure he cared enough to question. 

"My, did you dream about me then? How very strange and forward of someone I have just met." 

"Shut-" 'Asch' started but then paused, as though rethinking of what he was saying to the adult. Luke knew that if he said the wrong thing, he would earn Jade's disrespect, and it was hard to get it in the future! The only reason he had got it in the first place was because he knew bits and pieces of the necromancer's past. Keeping it a secret from everyone else was the only reason he had earned any blessing after the whole Akzeriuth incident. 

"Hmmm...?" Jade insisted cheerfully, his mind enjoying mocking the noble. Teasing nobles could actually be fun, even when Jade only had Peony to compare, but they were all mere human beings anyway. 

"Nothing!" Luke replied quickly, feeling extremely nervous. He had no idea how to deal with a past Jade, a Jade who hadn't met Anise. Maybe Anise had an effect on the dark blonde, but Luke really didn't know. It was a blessing that Jade had came when he did, but just having him in the party any longer could make troubles! "So, are you really finished with your training?" Luke asked, trying to divert attention away from whatever they had been discussing. Luke didn't even know anymore his mind was in a complete jumble. 

"One must wonder if one is ever finished with his training or not." Luke rose a faint eyebrow, not at all used to Jade's way of speaking. It was strange, and yet somehow still Jade. 

"I guess that's true." Luke replied lightly, finally getting up and stretching lightly. Augh, what was he going to do? How was he going to get off of Malkuth territory? The bridge was at least two days from here from what Luke remembered, and then it would take even longer to get to a port that had a ship to Daath. At least, from Luke's memory...it seemed a little scrambled at the moment when it concerned territory. "I'm going to see if I can get any food materials." Luke turned to the man then back to think of the closest area to get easy food. 

"I'll join you." Luke paled, ugh, he was trying to get away! So he could think! But to refuse Jade? Only a madman would be insane enough to do that sort of suicide. 

"Ahaha, no, that's okay." 

"I insist, you have no weapon and I'd rather not find your mangled body parts in some miscellaneous animal's stomach. Imagine what your friend would say?" Luke felt himself paling again, only Jade. 

"Augh...fine..." He wanted to say another argument, that the two needed someone to watch while they were sleeping, but considering that they all hadn't been attacked at night, this area was moderately safe. Luke gave a sigh and threw his arms over his head, taking long steps on purpose, peering around for some type of meat, because eating that octopus thing did not appeal to him. After the two had traveled a certain distance (and finding a good-looking area to forage fruits that grew around) the redhead found himself freezing, 

"Would you mind telling me why a noble like you is doing in such unfamiliar terrain?" Luke almost cursed and screamed on the top of his lungs in his mind but just forced himself to calm down. 

"W-W-What are you talking about?" Luke tried to lie, but he knew Jade saw through it like so many times in the future. Jade just gave him that creepy smile and opened his dark eyes. Luke liked Jade as a friend, but the man was overwhelmingly creepy sometimes! 

"Hmmm...?" 

"Don't look at me like that!" Luke tried to move, tried to get away from the master fonist, but he was already trapped. 

"Whatever do you mean, 'Asch'?" 

"Euuuuugh...you know, don't you?" Luke groaned unhappily and gave the blonde his own dark stare. "How much do you think you know?" 

"Enough." The redhead gave a loud sigh and brushed at his knees for a moment then gave Jade a blank stare, opening his mouth to explain, 

"My name is Luke fon Fabre," this was stupid, why was he saying this? Luke knew this would have two outcomes, but to lie to Jade was to lie to the angel of death. "I'm on a personal mission of interest, I'm not here to cause any trouble." Luke paused for a moment, thinking more of what information he should indulge to the fonon master, but he couldn't think of any, and he didn't want to tell Jade of the soldiers chasing after him, being turned in was not a pleasant mindset for the future. 

"Oh, is that all?" Dammit, Luke knew that tone, though it was very hard to tell the difference, but all in all, he knew that Jade's mind clock was ticking in a complicated manner to store information and bring it up later for different questions. Questions that could be dangerous towards Luke's well being in the future. 

"That's all that I think you need to know," Luke answered honestly, mild anxiety creeping into his mind. 

"I've never heard of a noble going on such a mission without an escort." 

"Guy's my escort." The redhead then blinked and turned, narrowing his eyes momentarily, "Hey, mind energy blasting that deer over there?" Luke whispered, his mind on set for food. Jade rose an eyebrow momentarily, as a back note popped in his mind but he did as the noble requested and the deer feel to the ground from the mass of energy that abruptly blew in her body. Luke immediately ran to it, whistling about having meat to eat in the morning. It had been a long time to actually eat a real meal with meat because he had been eating stew and rice for eat quick meals. 

"Luke, however did you know about my _Energy Blast_?" Jade asked, his oh so pleasant smile still on his face. Luke paused in happy moment and groaned loudly in his head. Son of a! If Luke ever managed to get to Asch, he knew the redhead original would slaughter him for making so many mistakes. Oh sure, be on guard with Anise and Guy, but not Jade! _Nooooo_, Jade was different. Even if you tried to be on guard with the red-eyed man, he somehow found ways to penetrate your defenses. Unfortunately for Luke, he didn't know that he was just too relaxed after dealing with the comforts of his friends, that even if Luke _had_ placed some sort of defense, it would in no way be stronger then that of a five-year-old's treehouse. 

"...I assumed you knew it, you look very powerful after all, that's just one of the basic spells, isn't it?" Luke winged it though, turning back to the dead deer, hoping that it would abruptly revive and run off so that they would have to chase it. No luck and he could feel Jade's narrow gaze down his back. 

"Actually it was a spell that I made all on my own." ..._Shit_. How was Luke supposed to know? _True_, he had only seen the technique cast by Jade's mighty hand, but he had always assumed that fonon artists all around the world already knew it. "It's very curious on how you would know that sort of thing." 

"..." Dammit! This man was so infuriating sometimes! If he wanted something, he should just say it with his mouth and not the sidetracks that usually came from his voice! Why didn't Jade just ask? Damn the man! 

"So I wonder, how is it possible, Luke?" Luke very his stomach stumble a bit, that was oddly phrased. Luke had never heard those words before, and now it made him feel like he was in uncomfortable terrain. Luke knew even if he _was_ to tell Jade about the whole coming from the future thing, would the man actually believe him? And if he did, then Luke knew he could trust Jade to shut up about it until it came up in a more suitable situation. Damn it! He was screwed either way! 

"Yeah, I wonder too." He could play this game, at least...he hoped he could. Jade was overwhelmingly smarter then him, he knew, but if he played the evasive mouse long enough...Jade eyed him with a strange look (curiosity?) then opened his mouth to speak some more but a voice echoed loudly to their reaches, 

"ASCH! JADE! WHERE ARE YOU TWO!?" Guy! Luke could have cried out of happiness. Oh what would he do without Guy? Luke gave Jade one glance and ran off, dragging the still completely skinned animal back to the campsite. Jade stood straight from the encounter through eye contact and simply pushed his glasses up, as he felt, for the first time in a long time, his interest rising. 

------------------------------ 

Van gave a light groan in his mind, as he finished reading the letter that had only came just that morning. The heir was currently on his way to Grand Chokmah (though judging by the letter's date, he probably already made it), and he was disguised in a cloak to hide that outrageous hair of his. So he had wasted his days in Chesedonia and decided now that he should just travel to Daath to report to the Fon Master instead of letting the green-haired man steam about not getting an immediate answer. However as Van made his way to the port he stood still as Dist's chair landed on the ground and out popped from its comfortable surface, Dist. 

"Hello Commandant!" Dist's voice sounded mildly cheerful, though Van suspected it had to do with the newly created throne for the white-haired man. 

"...Hello Dist." Van almost displeasingly said, but knew that the man wouldn't be here if there wasn't any reason. Dist disliked being away from his own personal studies for too long after all. "What is it you wish to speak to me about?" Van cast a glance over to the crowds that avoided them purposely, staring at the chair with wide-eyes. 

"I've just come to take you to Daath, the Fon Master wants to speak to you personally." Van didn't want to deal with this, not right now. 

"I'm not riding that." Van pointed to the obvious one chair seating traveling pal and gave the other adult a harsh stern look. Dist gave one right back, 

"Fon Master Ion insisted." Van gave a loud sigh in the back of his mind and stared at the new vehicle, he knew he wasn't going to end up comfortable on it. Dist saw that the man gave in and jumped back unto the chair, watching Van stare at it uneasily for a few seconds before carefully jumping up to sit on the top, where he could grip the cushions easily. Not that there was any _need_ to do that, but Dist amused himself from holding back his laughter at the man's uncomfortable seating arraignment. And off they were, Van lurched a little from the sudden lift-off and his mind yelled at him to stop defying the laws of gravity and get off of the forsaken way to travel. Dist was still smiling cheerfully as they started to move across the ocean. 

The ocean was as beautiful as always, though Van wished it wasn't his only sight. Dust then started speaking, of which Van _really_ wished he wouldn't, but that didn't stop the man, "That girl, Arietta, has been advancing as a civilized being, though not that much." Why was he talking about Ion's favorite toy? Though talking about someone in Daath reminded Van of the letter he had received from the white-haired man, 

"How is Asch?" Dist seem to pause at this but then continued, 

"Asch is doing wonderful in his training, better then I've ever seen him do in the past year." 

"Dist..." Van gave a growl beneath his tone, not liking how the man was dancing around his question. 

"Oh I'm sure the boy is just missing you," Dist quickly replied angrily, not liking the turn the conversation was going to. Van's obsession with Asch's well being annoyed him, even if they needed the boy to be well for the future. 

"Asch has never missed me enough to stop eating." Van grunted back, giving the man a glare, who ignored it, looking down at a map to recognize the terrain around them. Van wished momentarily how the mechanics of the crazy chair worked, but he dare not want to hear it from Dist's mouth. 

"I'm sure that is all." Dist made the reply, turning the chair a little to continue in a straight line further into the ocean, only stopping to pick at an item bag and absorbing an orange gel. The journey continued, Van not dealing with the saddening thoughts and theories of Asch's new lack of hunger. It took three more hours before they reached their destination and Van knew that it was cut just from traveling in the strange flying chair. "You go ahead and meet your disciple, I'll report to the Fon Master for now." Dist made the comment to the sky-queasy commandant and Van gratefully accepted that deal. 

Dist may have been strange, creepy, and way too much of a fontech geek for Van, but it was nice sometimes when the man would actually do the things needed of an adult. Almost cheerfully, Van started moving towards the headquarters and up high into the redhead's room, inwardly hoping that Asch would offer something that wouldn't bring more stress to the dark-haired man's life. However as Van finally made it to the redhead's room, he blinked to see Asch just sitting up in his bed, staring at the ceiling...very...blankly. _Huh_. That was not an Asch face. 

"Asch," Van lightly said though, a smile coming upon his face and the redhead snapped out of his daydream to stare at the man who had entered his room. Van was a little alarmed to see strange thinking motions cross the boy's face, and it was even more odd that the faces all lasted only a second before Asch landed unto a face that Van had been used to. 

"Master Van!" Asch jumped off his bed cheerfully but Van heard a strange tone in the boy's voice. Something that sounded like he was holding himself back...back from what though? Asch marched up to the man and forced a smile upon his face, "How was your newest quest?" 

"It was good. I'm afraid I might be leaving again though." 

"Oh no!" Asch made the reply, looking a little distressed as normal. "I never understand why they give you so many tasks, couldn't they give them to some oracle knights?" Van chuckled, glad that Asch was acting a little more normal now. 

"I'm sorry Asch, it just comes with the title." Van chuckled lightly, feeling relaxation drift in the back of his mind. Ah, thank goodness, at least he wouldn't have to stress for at least half-an-hour. Asch gave him another strange strained smile and nodded, 

"I guess I understand." He grumbled though, sounding normal. Van gave another chuckle, Asch was just like a kid despite his body. 

"Oh, I have been hearing things," Asch flinched momentarily, "about you not eating." Asch wasn't surprised, if anyone was to know about his condition sooner then others, it would have to be Van. 

"I haven't been that hungry Master Van." 

"Have you had a doctor check you out?" 

"No." Asch answered truthfully, knowing better then to lie to the strange madman. Van gave him a once look over and frowned to the boy. 

"Then we'll do that while I'm here, I can't have my favorite pupil starving, now can I?" Asch felt his mind groan loudly but he forced himself to agree. Luckily though before they could continue their conversation any further there was a slight knock at his bedroom door and Dist entered in, 

"Ion would like to see you commandant, now that you've had time to catch up." Van simply gave a backwards nod and Dist left, soon followed after by Van. Though the man did say the words that after he was finished with the Fon Master they were definitely going to go get him checked out. Feh, not like there was anything really _wrong_ with Asch. It was just that his patience was wearing out, and despite what he had said about a lack of hunger, his body was starting to wear out and feel sick again. Maybe he could sneak out and get a quick dish of that strange chef's weird invention (pizza, wasn't it? Asch couldn't remember) and come back. Asch then found himself settled back to his bed, feeling his anger rise once again. 

"Damn it!" He kicked the wall just to side of his bed and gave in to his body's weakness to fall asleep. Avoiding food was not wise, and sleep was the only thing that could get everything off of his mind. It infuriated him that he couldn't do more, because if he dared do anything it would just screw up his escape and just alert the cathedral to be stronger, almost impossible to get through even with Luke. 

------------------------------ 

"'Bout time you got here!" Anise yelled at the two men just coming out of the boat. Anise thumped her shoes on the pads of the ground with a displeased grin. Anise had hit a growth spurt over the year, she was now approximately as tall as Tear, and her hair was longer judging by how long her curls came down further then her shoulders. Anise dressed comfortably in the training robes for a Fon Master and she seemed to be growing up comfortably. 

"Hey Anise." 

"Hey yourself!" She brashly waved, a smile coming over her lips, and Guy just smiled lightly back. Jade however was busy directing some of the soldiers that had came to place their materials and packing in a certain part of the cathedral, ignoring Anise's wave and dodging as she angrily through a mace in his direction for ignoring her. 

"Oh hello Anise." 

"Col...Oh wait," Anise got a creepy smile upon her face, "You're a _General_ now, aren't you?" Anise found herself gleefully laughing evilly and Guy found himself sighing. Anise had changed, but she didn't seem too extremely different. 

"Hm, that is true." 

"Don't take the fun out of my teasing _General_." 

"Very well, _Ms. Fon Master_." Jade just threw back and Anise just gave him a light growl. She then shook her head, 

"Anyway, we're here to talk right? It's best to do that in I...Florian's room." Anise seemed to still have trouble adjusting to whom the room belonged to, strangely. The adults followed after her as she greeted some of the random followers that would talk to her, she had to stop every once in awhile, debating about the charities and where they should go to. Despite not being the complete Fon Master at the moment, she was still good at being a leader in her own way. In a way, Jade was mildly proud of the young woman and Guy thought the same. At least until she shouted, cursing on the top of her lungs at someone who was throwing eggs at one of the fallen fonstones, and set out to do extreme discipline that a Fon Master _should_ have not set out to do. 

Knowing the way to Florian's room, Jade and Guy both set off, listening momentarily for the screams that came from the 'blasphemer' as they filtered through the air. Anise had just ended up getting stronger, and though both men would never admit it short of death, it both slightly scared him at the thought of Anise being a leader of a new forming religion. 

"Jade! Guy!" Florian greeted them while they entered the cathedral, Florian gave Guy a hug then Jade one happily, though looking up to the man cheerfully, "Did you get my letter, huh?" 

"Yes, I did." 

"Yay! Did you like it? I'm getting better at writing, aren't I?" 

"Yes you are." Florian let go of the dark-haired man and cheered once again happily. Guy almost felt like chuckling and was surprised to see something that actually _looked_ like a real smile on Jade's face. "Well we're heading off to your room now." 

"To talk to Anise right? Can I join?" 

"If you wish." Florian kept smiling and followed the two adults on their way to the glyphs. Anise caught up before they entered the three-way hallway and gave a loud sigh, 

"Trouble in paradise, Anise?" 

"More then you'll ever know." Anise gave a light glare to the teasing general then lead the way once again into the office. Once they had finally made it into the room, Anise threw off her pigtails, her hair coming down quickly in curls and Guy rose an eyebrow. "It helps cool me down," Anise lightly said, putting fingers in her hair once to feel how light it seemed for a moment, and then sat down at her desk. She motioned the three others to gather around the desk so that they could talk more comfortably. They all did so. 

"So you've been having memory crisis?" Guy asked lightly, quickly wanting to find the reason why they were having these memory issues. 

"Yeah, and now I even have more crap that doesn't make sense in my head! Like the other night when I went to bed, my body hurt remembering being crushed by that damn octopus thing!" Anise slammed one hand on the desk and cast a glance over to Jade, "You remember, don't you?" 

"Ah yes, that was when we first met, wasn't it?" Anise nodded and Guy blinked in a surprised manner. 

"Wait, wait, what?" 

"Well...not exactly when we first met, actually, she seemed to be a couple of days later then when we had originally met...or so I believe. I'm not quite sure anymore." Jade admitted and Anise felt her mouth growing slack-jawed. 

"Wait! Wait! You remember new things now too, co...general?" 

"Faintly, I have not fainted as of yet." Guy jumped at that comment and stared at Jade with surprise. 

"Really?" Jade nodded, placing one finger on the edge of his chin to think more about it, as seemingly new memories drifted into his subconscious about meeting Luke for the first time and the boy was hesitant about something. Which Jade knew little then and a lot more now. Interesting. 

"Yes, but I haven't remembered much." 

"Well you haven't been there that long," Anise admitted, her thoughts flying to the new memories. They had just met Jade last night, and though that moment had been in Anise's mind since she had first met the man, it was different now just because of the introduction of Guy and Luke. In fact she didn't remember getting that hurt when Jade had saved her from that battle all that time ago. Anise then blinked, "Wait, so does that mean Guy...?" Guy nodded, 

"Yeah, just the other day I fainted for some reason." 

"It's quite probable that the mass of new memories was too much for you to handle at the moment." Jade paused in his explanation as the two gave him 'duh' looks, and sighed. "Think of memories like fonon particles, because in a way, they are," though in a way they weren't, but it was the easiest way to explain it, "and when a body over receives a mass of a new substance, it will do one of two things. Attack or absorb. Chances were your bodies tried to attack the new 'particles' and lost, causing your body to fall into a sleep state to 'reboot' itself in a way." The two with the most new memories blinked at the explanation and they thought of it a little longer. 

"I guess that makes sense." 

"In some strange way." Guy commented then frowned, "So does that mean you're going to faint soon as well?" 

"Oh not at all, now that I know that the new particles will be coming my way, I'll be able to take control and absorb them rather then fight." Guy and Anise both gave him a light glare as the man just smiled a cool smile. 

"So wait..." Florian interrupted, blinking at the conversation, "Does that mean Luke's going through the same thing?" Ah. That's right, they wouldn't know unless Anise was given a letter by Tear. Anise hit her head, 

"Oh great, now we have to worry about Luke too!" 

"Actually," Guy started hesitantly, looking at Jade once (who nodded) before continuing, "Luke has seemed to have...disappeared...even before this happened." Anise stared and she screamed, 

"WHAT!?" Jade grimaced, rubbing his ear as Guy held up his hands in an effort to stop the girl from stumbling from her desk to get more answers from the blonde man. 

"Yeah, we haven't had time to search for him, but Tear's told us that he's disappeared." Guy replied to the anxious girl. Florian frowned at the thought of the redhead gone and stared as Anise twitched, only to fall back down to her seat, concentrating for a moment. 

"Well where do you think he's disappeared too?" 

"I think-" 

"To the past." Jade interrupted Guy's opinion, looking around the room in slight displeasure as he wished something to sip for the moment. Three heads whipped to look at the older man with huge eyes. 

"Say what?" 

"The past?" 

"Where the hell did you get that idea!?" Anise demanded and Jade just gave a simple sigh. They were expecting so much from an old man, how troublesome. 

"It should be obvious if you think about it." But the three just continued giving him confused looks at his comment. "How would Luke in the past know about the future and of us, without being from the future?" 

"Well how would he be able to get to the past? Isn't that crazy!? And if he _did_ travel to the past, wouldn't he just end up in his own body from the future rather then his body from the past?" 

"Not necessarily, there was law of there not being more then one body entity at the same time. I suppose that it would be rather hard to travel time _and_ create a body that was not even made in the past." 

"So if we traveled to the past we would end up in our own bodies?" Jade shrugged, 

"I wouldn't know, I've never traveled outside physics." Guy gave him a frustrated stare then held his head, 

"But...how is it possible?" 

"It most likely has something to do with that huge fonon reading we had not to long ago, I trust that council members warned you of this not to long ago, correct?" Jade directed his question towards the young woman. Anise gave a nod and a wave at the hand, 

"But you don't think that has something to do with Luke, do you?" 

"I do." 

"That's just crazy! I know he has hyperressonance and all, but traveling back in time?" 

"Luke had done more impossible things before." Jade just chuckled and Anise slammed her fist on her desk once again, giving the man a nasty glare. Anise then settled herself back on her desk and Guy couldn't help but think that her temper had risen over the year they had been apart from all of each other. Anise then folded her arms, looking determined, 

"So all of this is probably happening because Luke might be in the past." 

"That is my belief, yes." Jade sighed, not liking the fact he had talked so much. It had been such a long time since when they had all disbanded that he had talked so much. Jade was reminded why he hated talking because of this tiresome conversation. 

"Well what are we going to do about it?" Anise asked. Jade leaned in his chair and shrugged, growing bored. Anise growled but then smiled, "You haven't changed a bit." 

"You have though." Guy laughed and gave the girl a smile, "But before we discuss any other actions, shouldn't we tell Tear and Natalia about this new theory?" Anise blinked and smiled back to Guy, 

"Yeah, we should probably tell them before they have heart attacks worrying about that idiot!" 

"Luke is the source of all trouble after all." Guy replied, laughing about it, and the two were shocked to hear Jade join in their laughter. Despite having to speak so much, it was nice to see young minds unravel and speak in a way they thought truly mattered in the whole span of the universe's order. It was nice to be around them, much nicer then filing paper and dealing with Peony's teasing with the names of the rappigs. Ah...so much nicer. 

------------------------------ 

"Okay, we're going to be setting off now." Luke commented, after he and Guy had skinned and prepared a simply meal from the deer that Jade had snared earlier. His companions blinked in confusion and Jade narrowed his gaze. 

"Uh, okay." Anise said simply, getting up but then flinched as she grabbed her sides in pain. Guy looked at the girl worriedly then back at Luke who looked just as concerned but then he kept shifting his gaze between the stranger and Anise. 

"I don't think it would be wise to move her at the moment." Anise sat back down and growled, forcing herself to forget the pain. It just hurt to breath and move, that was all. No big deal. 

"Yeah, Jade's right...Asch." Guy tried to persuade the redhead who kept nervously staring at the other blonde man. Luke finally gave in though, sitting next to Guy and far away from the spellcaster, 

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Guy found himself smiling despite himself because of the fact he knew that the old Luke would have just said it wasn't his problem and made them move on. It was nice to know, that this Luke was kind (not to say the other Luke wasn't kind, but he just cared too much for himself). It was a little unbearable on how quiet it was, Luke kept frowning and glancing over to Jade whom just looked like he was meditating somehow. 

"There they are!" Everyone looked over to the new voice and jumped as a scout of Grand Chokmah pointed at the group. "! Lieutenant Jade!" The scout saluted the man and Luke groaned, hitting his head. Dammit! Not again! One of the other reasons why Luke wanted to leave! Huh, at least he knew for sure that Jade was definitely already in the military. 

"Why hello there." Jade greeted, standing up from his spot and Luke cast a glance over to Guy but then looked back in a worried manner over Anise. He knew if they fled Anise would chase after them and just end up hurting herself even more from running after them. Damn it. 

"You captured the noble! That's good work Lieutenant!" Jade cast a fake glance of surprise to Luke and went as far to offend the boy by replying, 

"Oh? I hadn't known." 

"Oh you wouldn't sir! Luke fon Fabre had escaped his mansion and fled all the way here to Grand Chokmah sir!" 

"Did he now? That is actually most impressive." '_QUIT INSULTING ME!_' Luke screamed on the top of his lungs in his head, but grit his teeth nervously. How was he going to get out of this one? Luke grunted as many soldiers caught up and all grabbed Guy and himself. Jade told them to be careful of Anise as she tried to fight back but she ended up hurting herself more then the guards. They ended all being dragged back to the palace, though quicker as they didn't have to take the time to hide and avoid monsters. It was around about an hour until sundown when they made it back to the palace. 

"Well that was pretty clever of you, I didn't even know that place had a hiding spot." Luke frowned and looked down as Peony laughed cheerfully. 

"Not that it must have been that difficult to escape from your grasp." Jade teased and Luke couldn't help but think that Jade had only became more serious because of meeting Anise. 

"Sorry your highness, it was just urgent that we finished Anise's quest." Guy bowed his head, forcing himself to sound full of duty. Luke followed after, 

"Yes, we're sorry sire." Luke kept his head down, feeling tension build up from the lie. Luke then knew that Jade whispered something to the man and though Luke did not know what the man's initial response was, he felt two hands upon his shoulders hit him cheerfully. Luke looked up and stared up at the man who had patted him on the shoulders. 

"Hahaha! You're quite a mystery Luke!" ...Damn it. That was it, he was going to get killed, and if he wasn't killed by Asch's hands he was going to end up committing suicide. This was starting to irritate him and it was just so hard! 

"L-L-Luke, sire?" Peony laughed again and Anise gave a loud sigh, 

"Give it up Luke. There's just no way we're going to be able to get out of this." Anise grumbled, then grunted in pain. What the hell? Why was it hurting more now? 

"You should listen to your friend's advice, it won't hurt to quit." Luke frowned to himself and took a glance at Guy who kept his head down low still. Luke then forced himself up, the jig was definitely up. 

"Fine, I give up." Luke held his hands up and frowned again, he knew he wasn't really good at the diplomacy it took to be a good leader, but Luke still knew it was important as the future relations between the two countries grew grim in the back of his mind. 

"Good to know, the Kimlasca soldiers told us they'll be here first thing in the morning tomorrow, though this time I won't have to lock you in a room. I invite you and your friends to dinner tonight." 

"Thank you sire." 

"Now Luke, there's no need for formalities." 

"If you say so Peony." Luke then turned around to lift Guy up and back to the emperor, "Could you please get Anise to a doctor?" Peony nodded and sent an escort to send off the arguing Anise. Guy looked alarmed over at Luke who looked slightly depressed and let down. Guy hadn't seen that look since the boy had came back from his kidnapping and the lack of knowing his own mother's face. 

"Your Majesty, if you could excuse Luke and I for a few moments, we promise not to escape but we would like a few minutes of rest, as it has been a long and tiring journey." Peony gave a sly smile and nodded, though looking over to guards to obviously signify that he didn't trust the two completely. Guy grabbed Luke and they both wondered around the castle, though Luke ended up leading Guy as he knew the architecture better then Guy somehow. "Are you okay Luke?" 

"No." Luke admitted dryly, "It's just I don't know how to get out of this one." Guy frowned at Luke's change of attitude, it was strange as Guy was getting used to the cheerful optimistic Luke. This guy had been changing so much, it was strange to watch the redhead. 

"Well it can't be that bad, I'm sure if we explain-" 

"Hah! My father will never let me near the sun outside again when we get back. Then I made mom worry, I know I did, and even though all of that, I didn't get close to my goal. I didn't get close to preventing things that will happen in the future." Luke frowned at the thought of a city drowning in the horrible miasma and blasted because of his damned birthright. 

"Luke, don't say that, we got close. And I'm sure you're exaggerating about what you're dad will do." Maybe, now that Luke thought about it, he didn't really know if that would be what his father would actually do. 

"Yeah, maybe." Luke moved and opened a door, peeking in for a moment to find the library. Ah, a suitable place to talk and relax a bit, even if he didn't really like libraries in the first place. Luke guided the blonde-haired guardian to sit down on a table with two textbooks on it describing the techniques of past fonmachinery. "I dunno, I guess the stress is getting to me." 

"Is it really that bad?" 

"...Yeah it is, it's like an emptiness that one would never think would exist in your soul...but I think you know about that kind of emptiness Guy." Luke mused, lying down on the table with his arms, a sigh escaping his lips. The man on the other side of the table froze at these words and stared blankly down at the redhead, 

"Whaddya mean Luke?" Luke looked up momentarily then back to the table, he may as well tell him. 

"I know." Was all that Luke knew he really needed to say. Guy found himself incredibly still and blank at the words, Luke...Luke knew? 

"Know what?" 

"That you wanted to kill me, that you wanted to get revenge on your family. I also know the moment that is missing in your memory." Guy felt his heart beat hard and his mind grow numb. Luke...Luke _knew_? Then how was he able to be comfortable around him? How was he able to hide the fact that he _knew_ the most important things to Guy that had killed him every day since he had lived around the Fabre mansion. How did Luke know about that one moment in his entire lifetime that he had forgotten for whatever reason. 

"W-W-What?" Guy found himself stuttering, not believing it. I mean, there was no way, right? 

"Sorry I didn't tell you earlier." Luke replied, feeling a little lower as it seemed that Guy wasn't taking it well. 

"H-How could you know?" 

"Because we found out the hard way in the future...together, with everyone." Whoever everyone was, Guy wasn't comfortable with the fact that Luke _knew_. It scared him, because he had never told anyone about the dramatic moments of his life, and for Luke to just know... 

"We did?" Luke nodded, a bitter smile overcoming his face. 

"Yeah, we did." Guy stood up in surprise, it hitting him again. 

"Y-You knew? And you didn't say anything? You didn't even _tell_ me about that one damn moment!?" Luke frowned and stared at up at the shocked man. 

"Yeah I knew, but I thought it'd be best to not think of those things. I also remembered that you would like to find that memory on your own power!" Luke argued back, not liking how this was all suddenly turning on him. Guy bit his lip nervously, would...would that be true? Did he want to remember that from his own power? Well Luke was saying so...and...and he knew inwardly it would be true. But that memory...he wanted it so bad. 

"How can you get along with me then? Doesn't it make it awkward to be able to call me your friend, the person who had been planning on your death ever since the day you were born?" Luke gave a real smile, something he'd be glad to answer. 

"Because you were the only one who stuck by me. You're my best friend Guy, and even if you wanted to kill me, that was in the past. I once told you that it wouldn't matter if I could remember my past, because I can't go foreword if I remained chained to something I couldn't remember." Luke beamed happily. Guy just found himself staring blankly, he actually almost felt like crying. How could Luke...It was impossible to understand... 

"Luke..." 

"Hey, what's wrong? You look like you're about to cry!" 

"You look the same you idiot!" Guy replied back and found himself laughing, rubbing the edge of his temples for a moment. Oh God, was it possible? It was true that he had felt emptiness in his entire life since his sister and family died, but...he actually felt like someone _understood_ it. It was...it was overwhelming. 

"Shut up!" Luke laughed and smiled. Ah, he was feeling a little better now. Thank goodness. 

"Ah...so it feels like that, huh?" Guy sighed, sitting back on the chair after finishing with his laughter. "I guess I understand a bit more now, on why you would want to see that guy again." Luke frowned at the reminder but nodded, 

"Yeah, that's why. But thanks to you, Anise, and...as much as I hate to admit it, Jade, I feel better and less lonely." 

"You knew that creepy guy?" Luke snickered at Guy's comment and the fact he was surprised at Luke's comment. Luke smiled again and nodded, 

"Yeah, and he was pretty powerful in the future too. Really strong, he could cast this one spell and completely obliterate a field of monsters. Though," Luke paused at his demonstration with the wave of hands, "he had to learn that spell from finding some things." 

"Find some things?" Guy asked curiously. 

"Yeah, like there's these techniques all around the world, I have mine already in my head," Luke pointed at his redhead for a moment, "I think there were four things for you two...but only certain people knew them to give them to you." 

"Huh?" Luke peered around then lowered his voice as well as his head, 

"Because they were techniques handed down by your ancestors." 

"You know about that too!?" 

"I can't know one thing without knowing the other Guy." Luke laughed, slightly wondering why he didn't do this in the first place. 

"Seriously?" Guy was surprised again, he hadn't thought that Luke actually knew about his life so much. It was strange to have someone know so much about him and he had never talked to them about it. It was actually kind of comforting. 

"Ah, there you are." The two teens looked and blinked at the figure entering in the room. Guy had personally expected a soldier or a messenger, but Jade himself? "His Majesty waits for you both at the dining hall." 

"Oh okay, lead us there." Luke stood up at the same time as Guy, the two walked nearer to the taller man. 

"Hmm..." Jade cast a glance over to the two in what seemed to be a bored like manner, but shrugged and started to walk on. Luke, feeling better from talking to Guy a little more about the stress he had on his shoulders, cheerfully followed after Jade. Guy could imagine this man casting spells that could obliterate fields of warriors, but he really couldn't imagine Luke getting along with him. The man was mysterious, weird, and well...a whole load of other things that he didn't know how to describe. 

"Ah, welcome," Peony said to the three as they entered the area. As pure usual for a royal, he sat at the very end with a tri-candle blocking his head. Anise was down in one of the chairs, second seat from Peony's left side, and she looked a little happier. Luke wouldn't put it past Peony to lay down flatter to the young girl and Luke wouldn't let it past Anise that the girl was cheerful about the compliments. "Come, come sit down!" Peony beckoned with a goblet of (presumably) wine. Luke ended up sitting on the first seat of the noble's right side, Jade across him and Guy right beside him. "So I hear from Jade that you were out on a mission of personal interest." 

"Yes sire." 

"Ah, again with the sire?" 

"I'm sorry, I'm not used to calling others by their name." That was a straight out lie and even Guy knew it, but Luke had always had a problem with Emperor Peony. Guy had once told him it was because of his lack of confidence, but he didn't get why that meant he had to be uncomfortable around the blonde. 

"Hm, understandable." Peony commented then smiled as servants brought the quick appetizer. "What kind of mission, if you wouldn't mind me asking?" 

"A search for self." Luke answered and Guy almost choked on his soup. Well it wasn't far-fetched and in a way he was searching for himself, but did Luke have to sound so cheesy when he said it? 

"Oh, how interesting." Anise felt disappointed, was that it? So she basically risked life and limb just so he could find himself? _**LAME**_. "But why did you have to run away in order to do it? And why come to Grand Chokmah?" Guy could hear that Peony was trying to pry information, and Luke was offering all the right answers. Guy blinked though as Luke stared at his spoons uneasily, not remembering which was the right spoon to sip the soup in front of him. Guy elbowed the other lightly and pointed to his own, which Luke gave a soft glance of 'thank you' and proceeded to answer the emperor back, 

"Our original destination was to Daath, however when running from my family's soldiers, we caught a boat and didn't learn where it was going before it was too late. I'm sorry if it has brought any trouble to you Emperor Peony." Peony looked a little annoyed by Luke's words for a second, but left it alone. 

"Why Daath?" 

"Well many people have managed to find themselves in religion, sire," Guy answered for Luke, going along with the story easily, "I had told Luke this and he wanted to see for himself." 

"But why would you have to run away to do that?" 

"It wouldn't be a journey if you had to be guarded by guards every step you went, would it?" Guy continued, letting Luke eat a bit of the appetizer, as he seemed a little hungry looking for some odd reason. 

"Hm, that makes more sense." Anise was really pissed now, even though it interested her a little that the two were originally headed to Daath. But why in the world just hide it from her? Luke was an idiot! The real meal soon came and Anise actually blinked in concern as Luke did not speak anymore. In fact the only conversation that seemed to be coming from the dinner table was from Guy and Peony (and mild quips from Jade to tell the man to shut up in his own way). Huh, what was the big deal? Yeah, sure, you were going to go back to the place where you were born, surrounded by luxurious that people envied since the day he was born. What the hell was the big deal? God, Anise felt stupid and couldn't wait to get back to Daath. 

Anise would have kept angry, but she frowned, noticing Luke's quiet demeanor. The boy really didn't want to go back, did he? But why would that be? Anise fumbled with ideas but couldn't really come up with anything and took one stare back at the large table and palace. This place was beautiful...what could actually make you want to run away from it? 

"Sire!" A messenger ran up and whispered something in the king's ear, on which he dismissed the man after he had received said message. Peony gave a small smile, 

"Well it looks like they got here sooner then they had said. Sorry we didn't get to talk much more." 

"I'm sorry as well." Luke replied, hesitating as he shook the man's hand. Luke then turned anxiously as he was lead out with Guy on his side, this was ii, wasn't it? Luke was going back...without Asch on his other side. Without actually accomplishing anything...he was going back. 

**_End Chapter IV_**

"I feel sorry for Luke, I mean I made him go through all of this crap and now he's going back to the mansion...or is he? Hmmm...one must wo-" I then get kicked to the head by A, who growls at me angrily,   
"M-chan...you took forever to update." I blink and then nod,   
"Yeah, so?"   
"Your poor readers must be thinking 'Oh my, this writer is the worst writer in history, she never keeps promises and her characterization is WAY off! How horrible, I should stop reading this!'" I stare at my angel then go into a corner and start crying.   
"A...you're meaner then the twins from Ouran High School Host Club."   
"Then that means she's our dear little Tamaki, huh?" A grins evilly, "Good, gives me more reason to torture her."   
"..." D then shakes her head and looks to the crowd, "Sorry for the late update, and stuff. Hope you liked this chapter and M-chan hopes to hear from you." 

_**Thanks To.**_

_LatyfeSurLeSora_ ("Thanks!") 

_Ana Paula92_ ("Yup, I was happy that Jade appeared too! He's my favorite character, hahaha! Thanks for the review!") 

_killerbunbun_ ("You're too kind, thanks so much.") 

_Chaotic Blades_ ("I love your reviews because they make me laugh while at the same time being able to imagine that it could possibly happen...though at the same time it won't." I sigh, "But oh well, I hope you liked this chapter as well!") 

_Sandy11-1990_ ("Yeah Asch! Don't die this time please!" Asch throws me a dirty look and I cackle evilly.) 

_Lexaerilius_ ("Oh wow! Real statements, it's been awhile since I've had to deal with thinkers!" I pause thinking about what I said and laugh awkwardly, "Sorry, sorry. It has just been awhile, sorry. I mean no offense. Anyway, as you read the other chapters there is no implication of Sync or replica Ion, just the fact that the first real Ion gets random bouts of sickness. I also mention Arietta as a toy," I blush at the evil thought crossing my mind, "and I personally don't think she turned into a God General until Arietta got kicked off by Anise."   
I pause again, "Wow the hyperressonance question. Well you're probably right about it, I always thought that Luke could do any sort of hyperressonance on his own because that was just his power, but that was just my assumption. But I'm very good at assuming things in the wrong way," I laugh then sigh. "But I did have a reason for how Luke was able to pull it off in the first place, it was because the future was still fresh in his mind and the ability to do that sort of thing came second nature, as though he was still bonded with Asch, but he wasn't. My personal belief is that the game deals with a lot of self-esteem and confidence issues so if Luke ever managed to ever believe that he could do something on his own, he'd be able to, even though he doesn't think he is actually doing it on his own."   
I cough then think about it for another moment, "As the story goes on though, you'll see that things Luke could do will fade because he stops remembering them and his body doesn't know thing like training in using hyperressonance." Blink, "I'm glad those kind of things won't ruin the story, and thank you so much for EQUALLY AWESOME review!") 

_KiraLacus Forever_ ("Sadly there are no official couples for this story, just a load of hints towards everything." I look away and chuckle, "I will admit though, there will be huge hints in the future towards those two, but I'll try to make it brotherly as well" I cough, "though that just might make it worse." I then chuckle then start, "I'll go ahead and look when I have the time," I bow, "I'm sorry I've been busy with a few things. Thanks for the review.") 

_ChiByakko_ ("You flatter me too well. Thank you so much. I thought Luke was one of the easier people to write actually...but then again, I sometimes identify with him, hahaha. Anyway, thanks.") 

_FlamingWings_ ("Yes, ma'am or sir!") 


	6. Chapter V

**_Chapter V_**

"Life has a bright side and a dark side, for the world of relativity is composed of light and shadows. If you permit your thoughts to dwell on evil, you yourself will become ugly. Look only for the good in everything so you absorb the quality of beauty."   
-Paramahansa Yogananda

The ride back was unbearably quiet. Luke bit his lip hard in anger, as he knew he couldn't do much else. Guards surrounded every inch of the vessel, and Guy was locked in the small little cramped dungeon that was usually held for stowaways or offenders of law. Damn it, this was all wrong, and now Guy was going to get in trouble for something _he_ did! Luke hated guilt, he knew that, that's why he had tried so hard to avoid it when he was younger, and why he had tried so hard on this quest. This was so stupid, and...and Luke just felt depression trying to slow down his thought process and limbs. NO! Luke stood up anxiously then, peering out of a round window to see a guard, but beyond that the ocean glaring back at him. 

There had to be something he could do to get out of this, or even get Guy out of that dark dank pit cell. Luke moved away from the window as it was an endless reminder that he was stuck on this ride back home, then marched up to his prison door and knocked on it once, forcing himself to adopt his previous personality. 

"HEY! HEY! WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA LOCKING ME UP IN THIS STUFFY ROOM! It's hot and the bed is WAY to hard to take a nap on!" Luke hated how his voice sounded, and how well he managed to complain. The guard outside his door opened it and started to speak, but Luke gave him a swift punch to the stomach, and watched as he fell to the ground. Luke then glanced around, smirking slightly as there didn't seem any more guards down the halls. Now if he were to remember correctly...Luke rushed down to the lowest part he could find and took out the prisoner guards with two clear hits to their heads with a good knockout. 

"Luke!" Guy blinked surprised and Luke just grinned. "Where did you learn how to do that?" 

"Jade taught me a little about human anatomy when I got sick once," which was not an experience he ever wanted to go through again. Guy rose an eyebrow as a pale look momentarily crossed the redhead's face but then simply replied, 

"What are you doing here?" 

"I didn't want you to be stuck in here." 

"You're not thinking of escaping are you?" Luke gave a sigh and moved to search the guards for a moment for the keys and emerged victorious in his battle. 

"I wish to say I wasn't, but I am." 

"Luke..." 

"Yeah, yeah, I know. There's no way, this ship has way to many guards, and even if we did manage to get to some life-boat or something, it would be difficult to lose them." 

"Especially with no navigation chart of compass." Guy inputted sadly, but cheered a little when Luke let him out. It was starting to stink for some reason, then the blonde looked at Luke as he stretched his arms a little in anxiety. "Sorry there's nothing we can do Luke." 

"It's fine Guy. I just don't want to get you into trouble." 

"You'll be in more trouble then me," Guy simply replied with a distinct frown, "Luke, you could have just waited until we got back home." Luke shrugged and folded his hands behind his head, looking a little bored. 

"Like I said, I didn't want _you_ to get in trouble." Guy gave an exaggerated sigh as Luke started to lead him back to the boy's 'stuffy' room. Guy didn't want to even _think_ of what trouble the boy was going to get in when they got back to the kingdom. Though it was odd to see Luke so non-caring about his own troubles. As soon as they got back to Luke's room, the guard awoke from his sleep and scorned and lectured the one he was guarding, and tried to take Guy back into the prisons, but Luke stopped him with a spoiled rant of needing someone to keep him company. Though the guard tried to argue, Luke forced himself to abuse how spoiled he was and threw a temper tantrum. Guy was the only one who could calm him down, and the guard let the blonde stay. 

The ride continued, the guards discussing to themselves of the fact that Luke had gained many abilities over the last span of days, and guarded the area around his room immensely, arming themselves with imitating objects. Guy and Luke both talked in hushed tone so it was hard to hear them through the doors or windows. It took them the entire day, and when they had arrived to port, they chained the blonde and escorted the redhead back to his home. Luke demanded the immediate release of his guardian, but he was refused face out and forced into a fight back into the mansion. There the many maids greeted him, but Luke brushed by them, growing angry at the thought of Guy being locked up in a stuffy dungeon for no reason. 

Luke marched to his parent's room, and frowned as he only saw his mother in their shared bedroom. Suzanne immediately tried to emerge from her wrathful blankets, but Luke rushed so she didn't have to put herself in any physical danger and sighed sadly as his mother's arms wrapped tightly around him. 

"Oh Luke." Her tears covered his shoulder and her arms squeezed around him tightly. "Oh Luke. I'm so relieved." It was strange to see his mom worrying even more then she had in the future, but then again, in the future he had been with Tear, the sister of Van and someone who was a trained melodist. Luke sighed and returned his mother's hug and muttered softly, 

"I'm sorry." 

"Luke, Luke, it wasn't your fault. I'm just so glad you're safe." Luke frowned and pushed his mother away, noticing that he wasn't taller then her, and that the woman seemed confused. 

"Mom, I told you in the letter, _I_ planned this. Guy came to protect me, but all of this was my fault. I'm sorry that I had you worried, but I _needed_ to get out of here." Suzanne gave a confused stare to the teenager, 

"But why Luke? It doesn't make any sense. I know that you've been wanting out of the mansion, but..." Luke hesitated then shook his head sadly to his mother. 

"Where's father?" His mother blinked, rubbing her eye for a moment and continued to look confused at the abrupt change in her baby's attitude and stance. She had noticed just before he had left, but it didn't seem so dramatic as it did now. 

"I-I'm not quite sure." Suzanne replied, but gave Luke a brilliant smile, and gave him another hug. Luke supposed it was because he was younger too, that his mother was being so protective of him, after all, in this plain it had only been three years since the kidnapping. "Luke, please explain to me why you thought you had to run away?" Luke sighed, 

"I wasn't running away mother, I told you in the letter." Suzanne gave her own sigh then moved around for a second to give her son his space, then frowned for a second as she thought about Luke's letter. She then realized that she never _read_ a letter that may have been addressed to her. It was strange that she had just noticed what her son had been saying, 

"Luke, what letter are you speaking about?" Luke blinked, a tad-bit from frustration as to the new news of the fact his mother did not get the letter he had made specifically for her. 

"Nevermind," he dismissed it, thinking his father had been behind the disappearance, so that his mother didn't panic even more. A sudden change in your son could cause a moderate amount of worry in a mother or a father. Luke then moved around the room anxiously, thinking quickly of where his father could be. Suzanne watched him pace then sighed as the door opened wide and a body threw herself unto the redhead. Luke yelled of course, not expecting the sudden grasp, then moaned as the princess slapped him in disapproval. 

"Luke, do you have any idea how everyone was worried about you? Father nearly had to send out an entire army to search for you! What on earth were you thinking?" Oh great. Natalia...and she was _younger_. OH NOOOOO. Luke rubbed his cheek with a distinct frown on his face, he really did not like being home now. 

"Yeah, yeah." Luke grumbled, glaring at the girl who just sighed in a relieved way that sounded very much like his mother. In fact his mother was smiling just for the sheer fact his 'future engagement' was here and had worried about him. "Look, I need to talk to my uncle, Guy didn't do anything." Natalia blinked at the news and folded her arms. 

"Oh really?" 

"Yes." Luke sternly insisted, "_I_ took Guy with me, and he has no reason to be in that dungeon." Natalia blinked and seemed a little surprised at the teen in front of her. She surveyed him with a studious glance (one that Luke did not like) and nodded, a smile had appeared on her face momentarily and turned around in her princess outfit. 

"I'll ask father to release him on your testimony," God, no fourteen-year-old should talk like that! "But I must implore you to never do something like that again. It was foolish and it seems you have no justifiable reason behind your runaway." Natalia narrowed her eyes momentarily and stopped to think and Luke blinked as she smiled, "It's good to have you back Luke." And with that all said and done, she turned and exited out of his parent's room. 

"That was nice of her." Which meant he might owe her a favor later. Luke liked Natalia...after she had changed a bit, and matured. Natalia wasn't _that_ much different then in the future, she only became stronger and more determined to help the people for _their_ sakes and not because of the influence of Asch in the future. Augh, that was going to be hard to change...if it really needed changing at all. Luke supposed she had been happier when she knew how to be a more just ruler and had met her biological father and confronted him about the truth of her birth. Luke supposed that would make anyone stronger... 

"Yeah, I guess." Luke then smiled, Natalia's father would listen to her, and Guy may be out by nightfall. Luke then turned back to his mother and debated inwardly. How would his mother react? in the future she was accepting and shocked, but so many things had happened so it was easier for his mother to accept. The redhead knew that his mother wanted to know...however as soon as he opened his mouth, Luke groaned as an eerily familiar screech appeared loudly in his head, and Luke grunted as he could only handle the strange simple words of, 

"_**Luke...Asch...Yul...**_" Before he blackened out. 

------------------------------ 

Asch woke up with extreme irritation. What the hell? Why the hell was Lorelei trying to contact him? It made no sense, and he was sure that the sentient was trying to say more, but he could not make it out. Asch moved up and growled inwardly as he noticed where he was right away. The hospital ward in the huge cathedral of Daath. Younger times Asch had constantly visited here due to injured either he made by accident (as handling a sword never guaranteed accidentally cuts) or had made unto him. Asch had also been here many times when he was younger because of his practice of some fonic artes and apparently whenever he used these artes, his blood levels would rise a bit. 

Asch sighed and jumped out from the bed he had been lying in and thought about it for a moment. Now he was _sure_ he had heard that dreck's name in that incomplete sentence, so that meant he had been trying to contact the replica at the same time. Which was stupid of the 'holy' being, because there was no way that he and Luke could have handled that strong surge of fonons to their minds. So whatever it was, it had to have been urgent, and that just irritated him. Damn it, he should be so pissed off! Asch paced around the room quickly to see that all the other beds were empty before he started to muse outloud. This was a horrible habit he had picked up from when he had been bonded with Luke, as the redhead constantly talked to himself, seeing nothing wrong with it. 

"Yul...You'll? You'll what?" Asch felt his face grimace at the fact that he didn't know the rest of the sentence. "You'll...be in danger? You'll...need to do something specific?" Asch shook his head and his hands momentarily to the air, as though it would reply in an anxious answer. However nothing happened and Asch had no idea what to believe. 

"There didn't seem to be anything wrong with him, in fact he didn't even seem that malnourished, are you sure he hasn't been sneaking in snacks or something?" Asch frowned, oh great, that know it all doctor. Oh well, he was going to die soon if Asch remembered correctly. Asch then quickly moved back to his bed and forced himself to calm down and fake the fact he wasn't out. 

"I don't know, I wasn't here the last couple of days." Van's voice seemed loud as the two men entered the room. Asch felt a shadow overcome him as the figures loomed over, the doctor taking his forced limp hand to test his pulse. 

"I'm sure it's just his teenage hormones finally kicking in, some people get more testosterone then others." _'I'll show you people who get more testosterone then others'_ growled in his mind and almost cursed at the fact his face almost tensed with his thoughts. However the doctor let go of his hand and Van gave a sigh, 

"I'm not sure if that's what could be causing any of this doctor." Asch very rarely blacked out because of his headaches, and Asch knew why Van had been worried about that. Another thing to blame on the replica, it really was hard to get used to the fact that he was back in his own thirteen-year-old body, rather then in the body of an almost completely adult body. Asch wasn't quite sure why it was taking so much time to adjust, it was one of the reasons why didn't feel hungry as much as he should have. He felt displaced and foreign because of the change from comfortable mingling to forced reality. 

"There's no need to worry, I'm sure he'll be up in an hour or so." The doctor paused in his sentence and Asch took the reason of that pause to wipe his filthy glasses (as it had been his habit during talking), "Now I'm sure you should attend the meeting the Fon Master has called rather then dally your time worrying about a silly boy." Asch almost felt himself twitch angrily but avoided it with a rough grind to his teeth. 

"If I must." Van had a retreated tone in the back of his voice and the redhead lying down knew that this meeting meant something that Van didn't want to hear of. Asch heard the light sounds of a person walking off and the other one walking out, after waiting for a few minutes, Asch flung himself up and threw himself to the ground. With a careful glance, the teenager could tell that the doctor was too busy handling some form of paperwork to notice his wakening. Quickly Asch ran (glad his armor was taken off) and exited the room, following after what he thought to be Van's footsteps. Surprisingly, even with the huge hallways and many alternating paths, Asch found his way to voices. 

"Mohs got an interesting letter the other day." That was Ion's voice! Though not the Ion that Luke had known and loved, but the Ion that not many knew about. Asch felt himself freeze momentarily as he peeked his way through to place where Ion and Van sat. Ion was waving his finger around and had some strange circle around it to entertain him momentarily. Van seemed extremely stoned in, letting the man talk. Asch frowned, studying the Fon Master to faintly remember that the man was extremely strange. Cruel in some ways, and extremely bright, a man whose entire life was devoted only to the Score and its fulfillment. It was funny how these two could take advantage of each other, Asch paled, glad that the man had died before he could inflict any damage upon the world. 

Asch's imagination ran loose on the thought of the Fon Master releasing the seals, of taking full advantage of his Daathic artes. The artes only _he_ could cast. Asch shook the horrible image from his mind to listen to Van's faint-like reply. 

"Yes, I had momentarily heard about that." The redhead hid behind the wall, not even bothering to see the men's faces anymore, all he needed was their voices. 

"So I was wondering...how did that replica get away far enough to meet up with a guardian in training?" Guardian in training? Who could that be? And replica...That _had_ to be Luke! Luke had really escaped from the mansion, and apparently got far in his quest. Asch actually felt a smug smirk spread to his face for a moment but then growled as Van answered, 

"There are only the rumors to answer that question Fon Master." Rumors? _What_ rumors? What the hell did that boy do!? 

"And what rumors are associated with that question?" Van gave another sigh, as though he had been questioning the truth in the rumors. 

"Well when he had first escaped there was a rumor of a light..." The redhead outside the conversation felt himself freeze. Did Luke try to use hyperressonance to teleport? THAT IDIOT! 

"A light?" 

"I'm not sure what to make of it myself Fon Master." There seemed to be an acknowledged silence fleeting in the room and Asch had to bit his tongue as he heard the next sentence, "But I will approach Luke about this subject as soon as I return to Kimlasca." 

"Oh, that's right. He got captured by Grand Chokmah. Isn't it curious how he ended up there?" Grand Chokmah? What the hell was that idiot thinking? 

"I'm sure it was a coincidence Fon Master." 

"Hmm...I find it funny." Ion replied to the pony-tailed man, and Asch could imagine a sneer upon the Daathic artist. Of course it would be funny to the man who could read the score and know the future of the war between Kimlasca and Malkuth. It must be hilarious in the mind of that twisted... 

"Is there anything else you need to discuss with me Fon Master?" 

"Not particularly...but I will require a report of your interrogation to the sacred flame." Asch felt anger rise and disappointment for a mild second. Luke had got _caught_? Damn it! Asch then heard the hesitant chairs scoot and rise and he trusted his instincts and fled further into the halls, quickly diving into different doors and avoiding the other men and women in the building. It was when he had finally stumbled to the bottom of the training area, a way so close to being outside the cathedral when he stopped. Asch paused on the stairs and sat as he watched two knights charge at each other and spar at the escape. 

A moment of silence passed through the redhead's mind, he brushed his hair back uncomfortably because of he lack of chaos in his mind. The knights paused in their sparring and both took of their helmets. One was a woman and the other was a male, the female couldn't have been older then nineteen while her teacher was well over his thirties. 

"Hello Sir Asch." The lady addressed him, bowing as Asch was known as a respectful apprentice throughout the cathedral. Asch just nodded to the girl who gave a smile to her teacher. 

"What are you doing down here, Young Master?" The teacher asked and Asch surveyed the two. The man was obviously very skilled and had been for a long time, while the girl knight had probably just recently made it into the higher ranks. Asch considered but just shrugged to the much older man, not caring to give him an answer. The man frowned momentarily then just nodded, "Excuse us then." He bowed and Asch blinked as the two made their way upstairs. It took him a moment but Asch stared at the closed exit and back up to where the knights just left, and looked back at the exit. Was this something like incredible dumb luck? Asch started to slowly crawl to the exit and frowned, thinking it was entirely too easy. 

However the boy continued moving, then carefully pushed the door open when he got there, casting a quick glance back to see if anyone was following him and then ran outside into the sun with only his gray suit on. Asch quickly glared over at the entrance not to far and smirked cheerfully as none of the knights seemed to be out there at the moment. They were more then likely switching posts, so he had to move much faster, and that's what he did. Asch jumped roughly at the posts and avoided the people walking around and admiring the stones. The teen ducked and thought about it for a moment, this was stupid, there was just no way that he could escape and make it all the way back to Kimlasca (or hide out even at a different place). 

But the teenager's body did not follow his thoughts and continued to jump and hide until he made it to the entrance of the entire city. Asch had embarrassingly persuaded the hidden vender to sell him a fork (put it on Van's tab) and ran out into the wild. Once he was in the 'safety' of the mountains he felt himself twitch because of the fact that he had gone completely on instinct and intuition...as a complete idiot. He wasn't even completely armed, he was _lucky_ to have an item bag, but was much more considerably poorer and he was completely angry that he stranded himself out there...with a goddamn fork. 

Well...what was he to do now? No doubt he would soon be discovered missing and he would immediately be questioned on the fact why he had escaped into the world he supposedly knew nothing of. Asch gave a sigh and brushed his hair back as wind blew it in his face, he felt so stupid! The longhaired teenager then surmised that because he had heard that Luke had been captured back to Kimlasca, his mind had felt no hope for the idiot to escape again. Asch looked back and could see the peek of the cathedral then folded his arms and set his mind on a strange thought. Somewhere Van wouldn't find him _immediately_ and give him time to hide out. 

"Alright, off to Yulia City then." 

------------------------------ 

Natalia rose an eyebrow from her throne, then stood up from her throne...only to sit back down with slight confusion. Her mind felt extremely strange, and her mind wasn't the only one. There had been a few cases around the castle lately of guards remembering Luke beating the crap out of them and running away, and everyone would faint before these new memories. It was alarming when Lady Suzanne fainted and wept at the strange memories of her son running away. Things were going on in her kingdom, and she didn't know what to make of it. 

"Oh Tear." The woman stood up, ignoring her slight dizz building up in the back of her mind. Natalia gave a smile to the other woman and she seemed a little more distressed then the other woman would have ever cared to shown. Natalia understood why though, as Tear had cared so much for the sacred flame of light. Tear also looked formally distressed of the fact that the Queen of Kimlasca was getting up to address just a soldier of a dying army. 

"Queen Natalia, please-" Natalia sighed and folded her arms with a charming smile to the younger person. 

"Just because my father stepped down from the throne not to long ago, does not mean I'll let you call me by my newest title." 

"Oh yes, of course." Natalia sighed, Tear really _was_ down. It was sad, but at least Luke hadn't been missing for long. Well as long as he had been when they all thought he was demised in that explosion at the final battle. 

"Tear, is there a reason why you're here?" Tear nodded and her voice came out in a compliant tone, 

"Luke's mother decided to inform you of the newest memory she's had of Luke." Natalia blinked in curiosity and Tear sighed, "He's back, but he hasn't told her anything of why he even did such a strange thing." Natalia 'hmmmed' and went back to her throne for a moment, telling the writer at the side of her throne to stop writing their conversation. Said writer stopped, bowed, and left while Natalia sat back at her throne to make Tear feel more comfortable. 

"Hm, that's very interesting." Natalia nodded momentarily then blinked as a messenger entered the room. The boy blinked and seemed extremely hesitant for a second, in fear that he was interrupting something important. However the confident smile on his queen's face made him feel more confident and he moved to the lady. The blonde took his message and watched as he walked away, bowing to Tear when he left in a former manner. 

"What does it say?" Tear's curiosity getting the best of her. Natalia tilted her head, rising one of her brows once again and replied, 

"Anise is heading here with Guy and Jade." Tear blinked and couldn't help but ask, 

"Why?" 

"To tell us of their new memories." There was a silence among of the two and a series of confused stares between the two women. 

"Huh." 

"Yeah..." The two just became confused, not knowing what else to think about the strange letter and strange conversations. 

------------------------------ 

Jade Curtiss walked through the Grand Chokmah halls, known as the emotion of being bored out of his mind. The only thing that had kept him from wandering off back into the forests was the fact of the strange dark-haired girl seemed to have gained some strange 'attraction' to him and Peony warned him not to leave otherwise the girl would more then likely follow him. Jade knew it wasn't a crush, but rather because he knew so much. Jade then paused at his walk and looked into the library, where he had found the two Kimlascans. 

The man would not admit it out loud, but he had stumbled upon their conversation earlier then he had seemed. Jade had came around at the point where Luke had been discussing the fact that Guy was his 'best friend' and something about not being chained to something he couldn't remember. So you could all imagine how interesting conversation went when it came to their discussion of the future. 

Luke had not said anything about the future directly, just mentions of techniques and ancestors of Guy (which Jade thought immediately that the blonde was connected to one of the previous families). But it was interesting, beyond interesting actually. To find someone who _knew_ about the 'future' and seemed to speak with such confidence and knowledge was extremely... 

Well, Jade had no idea what the vocabulary for it would be, it went beyond any fathomable thing he had ever thought could happen. It was beyond strange and just something that could completely revolutionize the world, of course that's what Jade normally would have thought. But actually proof of Luke knowing the future was something incredibly unreal. 

But...it would be...incredibly remarkable if what little things he heard from Luke were true. It would be something to actually amuse him...Jade found himself smiling momentarily, perhaps he could persuade his emperor on an embassy to meet with the easily interrogated Luke fon Fabre. 

"Jade, what are you doing up so late?" Jade turned to see the girl, still covered with bandages and looking incredibly frustrated. 

"One could ask the same from you." 

"I can't sleep." Anise grumbled to the older man then frowned at the man who so easily overcastted her. "Mind answering my question?" 

"Hmm...same as you." Anise disagreed with this, but said nothing, taking the time to settle near the walking lieutenant. 

"Hey, what'd you think about Luke being a royal?" Oh? Was she pretending she didn't know? Well the girl was a good actor, he'd give her that, but just ignored her question outright. At least until she kicked him at his knee, apparently not wanting to deal with the mystique of the lieutenant. 

"I found myself shocked and appalled." Jade replied, trying his best to fill his voice with sarcasm but did not succeed as Anise nodded to purposely follow his lead. 

"I know! What was a royal traveling the world just to find himself? That's kind of stupid, isn't it?" 

"Quite." Though Jade knew that was not true, a discovery of self was not at all stupid. It may have _seemed_ stupid, but it really wasn't, at least that's what he believed personally, as he had always been on a quest of self. Jade also knew however that what Luke had said of his quest was a complete lie from the boy's gestures (which was odd, Jade may had been good at reading people, but he had never been _THAT_ good). 

"I mean, don't they have religion in Kimlasca?" Anise really didn't know, she lived in Daath all of her life and had only went to the country to read the stones that she could. 

"I suppose they don't." Jade dully replied, this girl like to talk, didn't she? Anise gave him a stare as though she knew that the older man wasn't paying that much attention to her but continued, 

"Why would he have to travel anywhere though? I mean, he's got everything he would ever need, right? Hell," Jade found himself blinking at the fact that a _nine_-year-old was cursing, "he could GET someone to teach him what he needed to know about the Score. So why?" Anise asked the red-eyed man, confusion apparent. Ah, so that's why she was bothering him. She wanted answers, answers an adult would probably be able to give. 

"Who knows?" Anise was not pleased by this answer but turned away, accepting it in anger. Oh how terribly upsetting. Jade gave a sigh and gave his opinion, "Chances are, he would need to see things for himself." 

"But _why_?" 

"Why not? You had to travel the world to read all of the stones didn't you?" 

"Yeah, what does that-?" 

"So why not read a book on what they have written from the stones? Why go out on a journey to read them when you could easily do that?" Anise paused in her offended look and stared blankly at the man who had managed to give her an answer. 

"...Oh..." Anise finally replied then walked away, leaving the adult alone to contemplate what she had been told. Huh, that was amusing, even for a moment. It was very rare to find nine-year-olds that could think on a higher plain of understanding. But now, he would have to find a way to visit a certain royal, if at all possible. 

------------------------------ 

Asch had made it to the spring by the next morning. Surprisingly he hadn't been extremely attacked by anything but a few bees. Asch had stared at the stream and he vaguely knew how it worked, it wasn't _supposed_ to bring you back to the city unless you had a descendent of Yulia with you. Unfortunately Asch had no such person with him at the moment, and he stared uneasily at the water. Well he could cheat...right? Asch took a step back and rubbed his hands for a moment then jumped into the spring, nothing immediately happening. At least not until he closed his eyes and focused on traveling down into the chaos known as the miasma and into the bright city. 

The redhead took a deep breath and let a glow surround him, and in an instant he disappeared down into the stream, grunting as he reappeared to the bottom where the port was. Asch hissed as he felt a huge headache build up in his head because of the simple act of transporting. However that headache quickly disappeared as he took a forced deep-trained breath but looked up in alarm as a voice asked, 

"Who are you?" Asch didn't even need to look at the girl to know who she was. Many curses filled Asch's head for a moment to see the girl in front of him, in a dark training outfit and she seemed confused at the moment of why a boy had appeared in the portal to the upper world. Damn it! Why did he have to be so unlucky to have accidentally bumped into Tear? Tear gave the boy a frown but then turned around, shielding the doorway as someone came by. 

"Oh look! It's little Tear, whatcha doing here Tear?" 

"Nothing." Tear said quickly, and Asch studied as she drew out a knife from her back pocket, preparing to go against the two taunting towering figures. 

"Doesn't look like nothing." 

"I assure you, I am doing nothing of importance." Tear replied curtly. 

"Hey you boys! Stop picking on Tear! Mystearica come on over here, I need to show you something!" An elder lady's voice called out and the boys grunted, both escaping from the unknown wrath. Tear looked back to Asch and narrowed her eyes suspiciously, not that he blamed her. 

"I'll be there in a few seconds granny!" Tear politely replied to the waiting old lady and then looked at Asch with a silent careful stare. "Who are you?" 

"No one of your concern." Asch replied, standing up haughtily but twitched uncomfortably as a reminder of the huge headache actually popped out of nowhere. Tear drew her weapon uneasily, 

"You're wrong, you're plenty of my concern." Asch narrowed his gaze, he really didn't want to fight some melodist who could probably just put him to sleep. 

"I'm just an outsider, I fumbled here by mistake." Well he never knew, it could work. Tear stared carefully, her knife still out and probably raised to kill if he gave her justifiable reason. Though she slowly lowered it down and studied him like he was an animal. What Luke ever saw in this strange girl, he would never understand, but Tear walked to him and touched the boy's hair. Asch just let her not knowing what else to do, she was being extremely weird. Luckily for Asch, he didn't know she was thinking who bright and cute his hair was, but she stopped and coughed for a moment and restared at the redhead with new consideration. 

"No one just fumbles down here." 

"Really? 'Cause that's what I just did." Asch replied and Tear gave a slight glare but forced herself not to care what Asch had said. 

"Maybe you should go back up." 

"How? I don't even know how I got down here." Asch lied easily through his teeth, staring around the area to pretend he hadn't known the area. Normally he wouldn't have, but Luke's faint memories of this place gave him a clear view, even though he hadn't really cared when they were bonded. 

"You seriously don't know about this place, do you?" Tear asked, sounding a little bit astonished. Asch simply nodded, taking a calm breath and staring carefully at the weapon she had. Asch could probably knock her out, but that would be stupid considering he was stuck in the territory that basically treated her as royalty for her grandfather was the mayor of the area. 

"No, I don't." Asch lied again, staring directly at the girl, knowing faintly that she liked to be addressed directly (even if the replica didn't notice because of his stupidity). Tear seemed stunned by the honestly that was on his face and looked like she wasn't quite sure what to do next. 

"TEAR!" 

"COMING!" Tear turned for a moment and then back at the stranger. A range of emotions spread to her face before she stopped and forced a blank slate before taking action. Asch blinked as she grabbed him by the arm and yelled as she started to drag him away from the portal. Asch growled at her, trying to rip apart from the girl, but she held him strongly and dragged him all the way (somehow inconspicuously) to her room. "Now I'm only going to say this once." 

"What the hell is the big idea!?" Asch did _not_ like being touched, much less dragged to some stupid girl's room. Tear stopped his yelling though with a fierce glare, and continued with what she was saying. 

"You are _not_ to move from this room. If you do, I _will_ catch you and turn you in to the major, and she'll decide what to do with you. There also wouldn't be any point to escape, but you don't need to know that because you are _not_ going to leave." Asch nodded to the stern brunette and watched as she walked down the stairs that had led to her room. Asch stared carefully and listened as she exited the 'home' and took the chance to stand up and look around his new prison. 

What rotten luck, he thought at least in Yulia City he could hide somewhere for awhile before deciding what else to do and wait a few days before he escaped back into the outer plain. However now that he was caught by Tear, the only thing he could think was to..._obey_ what the girl requested of him. If Asch was lucky, she was just curious of the outer worlds and wanted to keep him to be company, but he could be completely wrong as he had no idea what to think of Van's younger sister in her younger stages. Asch hit himself once on the head then wondered out to the gardens, watching the flowers shine brightly despite the lack of growing conditions. 

All he could do for now, is wait and see, and Asch hated waiting. 

------------------------------ 

Guy gave a sigh, rubbing the back of his head as he was released from his cell. However he wasn't treated kindly or anything, in fact he was pushed around and treated like scum. But all in all, Guy was still released and was escorted to the mansion and in front of the Duke. Luke was right beside his father, staring at the man with a stern look that told him that he didn't tolerate the guards shoving his best friend around. 

"Guy Cecil, of my son's own recognize you have been released for the moment. However if you try to flee the mansion or try to persuade my son from leaving," Luke gave his father a glare, "you will be caught and executed on sight." Guy felt his body tense in anger. BOOM BOOM BOOM, the canons yelled in the back of his mind but were forced to a quick stop when he simply replied, 

"Yes sire." The duke frowned at the blonde for a moment and the frown only increased in magnitude when Luke picked Guy up and gave him another not so pleased glare. The man watched as Luke dragged Guy off and he sent two guards to keep watch over Luke's room, which he had taken the blonde previous captive. 

"Damn it! This sucks!" Luke had spoke, punching the wall momentarily, then hushed his voice as Guy spoke softly to him, 

"Calm down Luke." 

"Sorry, I'm just a little frustrated right now." Guy folded his arms and leaned against the wall, frowning as his usual escape-way became surrounded. 

"I'm sorry Luke." Luke waved Guy off, putting his item bag down and frowned as he finally had space and time to think about Lorelei. "Is something wrong?" Guy whispered and Luke slowly replied back, 

"You know about Lorelei a little, right?" Guy rose an eyebrow in confusion but nodded to the knowledge of the holy being, "Well he's still alive, and he can connect to me and Asch. But I thought he wasn't going to contact me because I already know what he was trying to tell us in the future." 

"Wait, wait, wait," Guy tried to stop Luke's ponderings, to ask a few questions but Luke continued, 

"And he was calling to both of us. I have no idea what about though." Luke gave a sigh and concentrated for a moment, and Guy managed to get a word in edge-wise. 

"Luke, what are you talking about contact you? And why would the sentient of the seventh fonon be talking to you and Asch?" Luke blinked as he forgot momentarily that Guy didn't know about Lorelei as he had in the future. 

"Asch and I have Lorelei's..." Luke fumbled with the words for a few seconds, trying extremely hard to remember what Jade had said, but it couldn't come to mind. How strange, so he just continued, "...something. So he can talk to us...he's the one who had been giving me the huge headaches and blackouts in the past." Luke finished. 

"What? Seriously?" Guy couldn't help but yell in surprise, which Luke gave a quick look to the door, expecting the guards to jump in, but when they didn't, Guy continued, "Seriously?" He rephrased in a more controlled voice. 

"Yeah, he tried to warn Asch and I about something in the future, but we kind of found out to late...well...me more then Asch." The blonde sensed a tone of regret in his voice for a moment but then shrugged it off as he continued talking, "But now he was trying to talk to us...and I have no idea about what." 

"Do you think something bad happened?" Luke shook his head, 

"No, Lorelei didn't even get into any trouble until the Sephiroth trees started collapsing." 

"WHAT!?" Guy yelled, surprised by Luke's new revealment, and this time guards did come in with alarm. Luke immediately banished them with a slight temper and gave his friend a disappointed stare. 

"Yeah, they fall. But that's not until far into the future, and it won't even happen if I have anything to do with it." The redhead answered and folded his arms, thinking about it harshly for a moment. "Guy, I may say more things that could happen in the future, but don't freak out anymore, okay?" 

"Right, right. Sorry. It's hard to get used to." Because he was telling him so much all of the sudden. Most probably because Luke couldn't get out of the mansion at the moment, so he had to find a way to relieve this stress that must have building up on his shoulders. Luke gave him a quick look of understanding then nodded at the blonde. 

"We have to find a way out of here." 

"There's no way!" Guy replied back hastily, surprised that Luke was already trying to plan on escaping again. The redhead just nodded and closed his window with a grunt, glad that their whispers probably weren't heard or understood. "Luke..." 

"I was thinking of telling mom about Asch." 

"What? Luke why would that idea come to your mind?" 

"Because then she could persuade uncle to search Daath. If Asch _is_ there then we can get him here." 

"Are you sure it would work that way? We should probably come up with a backup plan." Luke nodded a smile coming to his face but the barely adult beside him worried. Luke may act like nothing was wrong but he wasn't even really sure if they should be doing this at all. Luke however took his hesitance and started speaking about possible plans, which Guy would point out obvious faults or speak about how difficult it would be to actually pull it off. This was going to get a lot more difficult then the blonde could ever have taken it to be. 

------------------------------ 

"Oh shit." 

Was all the doctor and his few nurses could say correctly. They, and many others, had looked all over the cathedral in search for Van's loved apprentice, only to see there was no distinct appearance of him _anywhere_. What was worse was the last two people who had seemed to have seen him had _left_ him alone where he could escape. They were all in trouble, especially the doctor, who had seen him last. 

So it wasn't surprising that Van had exploded when they told him the dreadful news. Van immediately tried to search the cathedral only to be assured by the doctor and nurses that he was nowhere in the entire building. Van yelled out to many guards to go searching the area and demanded to Dist to search via air, and tried searching as well. However by nightfall they could not find the redhead and most guards feared the worse. 

"How strange." Ion was the first to point out, as they all had came back to the cathedral to prepare for more then a one-way journey. 

"I agree Fon Master," Mohs stood by his side greedily and Van his temper rising just seeing the disgusting man. 

"why do you think the boy would want to run away, all of the sudden like that?" Ion asked, narrowing his eyes to the taller man who stood in front of him impatiently. 

"I have no idea Fon Master." Van roughly replied, his mind bursting in confusion and conflict. This was even stranger then Luke escaping, because Asch usually liked it here, there was no reason to flee anywhere. Van would have said he had been out training but the redhead would have came back long before he had been noticed missing. 

"Hm...I'll help you on this matter." 

"But Fon Master-!" Mohs had started but the green-haired man forced him to shut up with a quick signal with his hand. Ion then turned to Van with a firm face, 

"I'll need something of his to do this." Was he going to cast a Daathic arte? Van nodded, eager to find the redhead and drag him back home. Van lead the fon master to the bedroom and Ion immediately started moving his hands in a gesture to cast lines into the air over his armor. Dist was behind Van and he seemed overly eager to stare at the strange magic. Ion kept moving his hands and closing his eyes, searching and searching. A circle appeared and moved around constantly with Ion's movements, however the green-haired man soon look discontented and opened his eyes in shock as the circle blew up into white energy and fled the scene. 

"What does that mean?" Van asked and to which the man turned to him with a curious stare. 

"I'm not sure. I was close to finding him, but then..." Ion's gaze turned back to Asch's lame armor with confusion written in his eyes, "Yulia?" He was sure of it, that energy that disrupted him from completing the spell was of the power he often sensed from Van. But the man wasn't doing anything to stop him, he had no reason too. 

"Yulia, Fon Master?" Mohs had questioned from way behind them, but Ion just turned a cold glare to all three of them. 

"It was nothing, I'm sure your fallen ashes is still near. Go ahead and search for him." Ion commanded, and they all three bowed before leaving. Ion knew that Van wasn't going to be satisfied, but he wasn't going to question him until he had found Asch again. The powerful being then turned back to the armor, and coughed roughly, falling against the bed with an exhaustion spreading to his lungs. There was no doubt, that energy belonged to someone of Yulia's descendant...but why? The cough started to bunch in tighter, but he ignored it, just letting his body produce the carbon dioxide with every cough it needed to make him feel better. 

**_End Chapter V_**

"Hi guys! That was the end of chapter five! I hope it wasn't too confusing, as a lot happened all at once."   
"Damn right it's confusing."   
"You're so mean A-chan." A rolls her eyes and I bow.   
"Thanks for reading, and I hope it wasn't too much of chaos, as it introduced a little more of the entire plot of this fanfic...wahahaha..." 

**_Thanks To._**

_Sandy11-1990_ ("I didn't update as soon as I could have, since this chapter was shorter then last, but...yeah. Thanks for the review! Hahaha!") 

_Lexaerilius_ ("Whoa...that's a lot to say about Jade. Hahaha. Ah...well my friends tell me often, though I act different on purpose. Which is why I have an easy time of writing him...Jade's hair...well I call it 'blonde' because his hair-color really is hard to describe in any normal color, and I once called him the "Blonde-haired Kyoya (Ouran High School Host Club character)!" and left it that way...Um, anyway! Thanks so much for the review and making me happy that I managed to write Jade well last chapter!") 

_Chaotic Blades_ ("Well...we saw a little bit of Ion, but sadly Van can't say anything to him right now because of the fact Asch escaped! Hahaha, ah...Of course I enjoy your reviews, I love it when people make their reviews amusing or more then one line! Thanks again!") 

_Meimi no Kage_ ("Aha...I'm glad you were happy to see Asch...and I hope I didn't disappoint you on my characterization this time. Anyway! Yeah...thank you so much for blessing me with your review...") 

_LatyfeSurLeSora_ ("You flatter me. Thank you.") 

_killerbunbun_ ("He didn't even think about using it, hahaha! Ah...anyway...thank you and I hope you enjoyed this chapter.") 

_Caim soul eater_ ("Like I said in previous chapters there are no official couplings. Just loads of hints, like in this chapter. Anyway, thanks for the 'great fic' comment!") 


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